


Champagne Kisses

by kickcows



Category: Tiger & Bunny
Genre: Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Het, M/M, Mild Yaoi, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2011-11-14
Updated: 2014-07-15
Packaged: 2017-12-12 18:33:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 29
Words: 128,424
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/814681
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kickcows/pseuds/kickcows
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Tiger & Bunny rejoin the first Hero league, Kotetsu wants to take the Heroes out. Karina dolls herself up for a night that would change everything. Tiger Rose pairing. Rated Explicit for: adult situations, lemon, hints of yaoi. Originally posted on ff.net on 11/29/11. In progress.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**I saw a picture posted by a Japanese site I watch on FB and found inspiration for this story. I don't know the artist, but the artwork is called 'The Morning After' and depicts Kotetsu and Karina in a very compromising position. I think this story will be a few chapters. For anyone concerned about age, I’m placing this story when Karina is around the age of 17/18, finishing off her last year of high school. I'm not tagging it as underage for that specific reason. One more quick note - this is my first non-yaoi story, so please be kind.**

**As always, I own nothing. These wonderful characters belong to Sunrise, Ltd.**

* * *

 

***

She stood underneath the spray of the shower, letting the water wash away the evidence of the Heroes last fight. She sighed, hating that she only had received a measly hundred points for removing a civilian from danger. _Why did they have to show up?_

“Oy! Blue Rose!”

Karina let out a loud squeak as she heard the familiar voice speak to her from across the locker room. “What are you doing here?! This is the girl’s locker room!” She panicked, covering her body up, even though she knew that no one could see her behind the closed door of the stall.

“I’m not looking!” Kotetsu said, his voice high-pitched. “We’re going to the Heroes bar. I wanted to know if you wanted to join us.”

Blushing madly, the teenager went back to washing her hair. “Maybe. I’ve got homework.”

“Awww...come on, Blue Rose! You need some time off, just like everyone else.” Kotetsu whined.

“Just go away. If I have a chance, I’ll meet you guys.” Her face still flush with the thought of spending time with her crush, no, obsession, was making her become more and more flustered. “I can still hear you!” She called out, knowing that the man was still standing across the room.

The man’s soft chuckle drifted through the large room. “I hope to see you there.”

Envisioning herself at the bar with him, sitting next to him, listening to him talk about the most mundane things, had her showering quickly. As soon as she was finished, she walked over to her locker and pulled out an article of clothing she had purchased awhile before, but never had the guts to wear it. However, she felt now was the appropriate time. Slipping the black sheer slip over her head, she grabbed the black mini-dress she had purchased at the same time as the slip and let it fall over her head. Looking down at her body, she smiled, pleased with how she looked.

Looking through her bag, she found her cell phone. She sent a text to Emily, asking her to cover for her for the night. Not that she was expecting anything to happen with the older Hero, but she was hoping that it might, and she’d rather be prepared then not. When she had received a reply back, Emily’s response made her giggle. “USE PROTECTION.” She knew her friend would cover for her, no problem.

Sliding her phone’s screen to become unlocked, she brought up the number pad and pressed the number ‘2’, which was her parents’ home number. “Mushi mushi!” Her mother said on the second ring.

“Hi, mom. I’m staying at Emily’s tonight. We’ve got a project to work on. Don’t worry, I’ve got extra clothes.” She took a breath, hoping that it hadn’t sounded too rehearsed.

“Alright, Karina-chan. If you get called out, then be safe. We’ll see you tomorrow after school?”

She hated that it was so easy to lie to her sweet mother. “Hai,” she said. “Talk to you later.” She waited for her mother to say goodbye to her, then hung up on the call.

Grabbing her purse, she slipped on her sandals, hoping that they went alright with her outfit. She turned off the light in the locker room, sure that she was the only Hero that was left in the building. She headed through the dark hallway, heading to the elevator. If she wasn’t a NEXT, she would have found this to be a bit unnerving. But she knew that if she had to, she could use her power of manipulating ice.

A taxi was parked outside of the building, much to her chagrin. “Take me to 8th and Brox,” she said, knowing the exact location of the bar. Why they always frequented the bar that watched them do their Hero work, and place bets on them, was a mystery to her. The cab arrived in no time flat, making her nerves that had been building in the car suddenly attacked her gut full force. She paid the cabbie, tipping him generously, and began to walk towards the entrance of the bar. She could hear people hooting and hollering. Looking down at herself once more, adjusting ‘the girls’, she stepped through.

“OY!” She heard the familiar shout of the man she constantly thought about as she walked into the bar. “OVER HERE!” She looked over at where she could see the other heroes gathered, all quite rosy in the cheeks. Looking down at her feet, she began to short journey to where they were all gathered.

“Karina-chan!” Nathan cooed, his right arm draping over her, his breath reeking of scotch. “So nice of you to join us! And you look so sexy!”

Blushing, she shrugged off his arm from her shoulders. “Do not,” she said quietly. She looked around. “Uh...where’s Barnaby-san?” She tucked some of her hair behind her ear, doing her best to not hyperventilate at her great fortune that Kotetsu’s partner was not there at the moment.

“Oh, he went home already,” Ivan said, his words slurring a bit. “Tiger-san begged us to stay until you showed up. We were all about to call it a night.” He hiccuped, setting his empty rock glass down on the bar.

Her eyes widened. “You got him drunk?!” She turned and faced Kotetsu, the man’s hands already up in the air.

“Hey, I didn’t force the drinks down his throat!” Kotetsu said, grinning. “I thought it would be nice to treat everyone to a nice time tonight.” He produced a champagne flute from behind his back, handing it to her. “I insist.”

Taking the offered beverage, Karina looked at the effervescent liquid. “What is this?” She examined the glass, not sure what it was that had just been handed to her.

“You’re telling me you’ve never had champagne before?” Kotetsu titled his striped cap back onto his head, grinning at her. “It’s good! Try it. Please? If you don’t like it, I can get you something else.”

She took a hesitant sip, not wanting to disappoint the man in front of her. The liquid tickled her nose as she swallowed it down, the champagne immediately making her warm. “Ehh? Not so bad, is it?” Kotetsu still had a silly grin on his face, making her giggle. “Ah! There’s that smile!”

Her eyes narrowed. “I smile!” She lowered the glass.

“Not often enough,” Kotetsu said, turning away from her to talk to Antonio. She felt the heat quickly rise to her cheeks, unable to say a witty comeback.

“You’ve got it bad, sweetie,” Nathan said, emitting a soft giggle. “You be careful with him.” Nathan set his empty glass down on the bar. “Antonio~! Ready to go?” The two had been spending time together, whether it was romantic or just a bromance, no one could tell. No one wanted to ask either way, for they did not want to deal with Fire Emblem’s wrath if they chose the wrong answer.

The larger man who had been in a dialogue with Kotetsu grunted and nodded. Karina rolled her eyes, sipping more of her champagne. Looking over to her left, she could see that Ivan was pretty much toasted, holding on to Keith.  _Everyone is pairing up except for me_. She sighed, hating that she felt like a third wheel, when all of her comrades were here - save Barnaby and Pao-Lin. She heard Keith laugh, the sound pleasing to her ears.

“Karina-chan, we’re going to be heading out as well. You have a very pleasant evening. I’m very glad that you came out and joined us.” Keith bowed to her, his bright smile bringing a small smile to her face. “Come on, Ivan.” Keith led the smaller man out, keeping his hands on top of his shoulders. Ivan turned and gave her a goofy smile, waving at her frantically as he was led out by the larger man.

Sipping her champagne, she looked at the back of the bar, unsure of what to do now. She heard someone sit down next to her on the unoccupied bar stool. “Would you like another glass? My treat!” Kotetsu said, the man more relaxed than she had seen him in some time.

“Why is Barnaby-san not here?” Karina couldn’t help but ask the question that had been plaguing her. She wanted to hear it from him, and not just the plastered Ivan.

The man next to her shrugged his shoulders, his hat slipping forward on his head. “He said he didn’t feel like hanging out. Why? Got a crush on him?” The man teased her, the smile that had momentarily disappeared had resurfaced. “You know, I could put in a good word for you...”

“What?” She stared at him, shocked. “No! I do not have a crush on him!” She shook her head, giggling softly as she drank the rest of the champagne that was in her glass. “You sure you don’t mind buying another round?” She looked at him, battling her eyelashes. In one of the books she had read about trying to pick up men, it had said to make your eyes look vulnerable. _I hope this works_.

Kotetsu tilted his head. “Do you have something in your eye?” The man began to look around for a napkin, while ordering another drink for her and himself. He handed her the napkin. “Here you go.”

“Arigato,” she said softly, embarrassed that it hadn’t worked. She took the offered napkin and dabbed her eyes with it, cursing herself silently. The bartender placed another champagne flute in front of her, filled to the brim. He set down a small glass filled with a light liquid in front of Kotetsu. “What are you drinking?”

Kotetsu raised his glass. “This? It’s called Soju. It’s like vodka.” He held it up, gesturing with his other hand for her to do the same. “Pick up your glass, I want to toast with you!”

“Okay?” Her fingers wrapped around the thin stem of the glass and giggled as the man tapped his glass against hers. “What are we toasting to?”

“That smile finally making another appearance,” Kotetsu grinned, bringing the glass to his lips. She watched as he took a little bit of that clear liquid into his mouth, causing her breath to hitch for a second. Not wanting to draw attention to herself, she sipped her champagne, the bubbles tickling her nose more.

Another round was ordered after they had finished their drinks. Karina was feeling a bit loopy and could not stop laughing at everything that Kotetsu was saying to her. He talked mostly about past foes, and how he and Barnaby could never see eye to eye. When he brought up how much he had enjoyed singing and dancing with her, her stomach began to flip-flop.

“How are you feeling?” Kotetsu said, always smiling. That’s what she liked about him the most. His pleasant smile. “You like my smile that much?” _Oh no! Did I say that out loud?_

Karina blushed deeply. “You have a nice smile.” She shrugged her shoulders. Standing up from the stool, she wobbled, almost falling over had it not been for Kotetsu’s strong arm grabbing her quickly.

“Come on, I think it’s time we get out of here,” Kotetsu said, still holding her arm. “Can you walk?”

“Of course I can,” she said with indignation in her voice. She began to walk, only to find that her legs did not want to do what she wanted them to. Kotetsu was right there, holding on to her arm to keep her steady. “Alright, maybe not so well...”

The older man laughed. “It’s fine.” He put some money down on the bar and began to walk with her out of the bar. “Do you want me to call a taxi?”

“I....” Her cheeks became flushed once more, unsure of how to ask what she had running through her mind.

Kotetsu shook his head. “You probably don’t want your parents to see you in this state, huh? I remember when I was your age, I was the same way. Come on. My house isn’t that far from here.” He walked over to where a taxi had just parked and opened the door for her. “In you go.”

She held her purse tightly to her chest, unable to process what was happening. Without her having to say anything, he had invited her back to his place. Because of her current state. Not because he wanted her to go home with him. She felt like a silly girl, the man of her dreams only being nice to her because she was drunk. She heard him tell the driver where to go and they were off.

 _I hope he can’t feel how nervous I am right now._ With him being so close to her in the back of the cab, all she could do was think about how close his body was to hers. His body heat seemed to be the only thing she could feel in the car. They were mere inches apart, his leg so close to hers, yet stayed politely on his side of the car. She hoped that they would take a sharp turn so that her body could ‘accidentally’ fall into his, but that chance never happened. After a brief ten minutes driving, they had arrived at Kotetsu’s home. The man got out of the car, letting her get out as he paid the cabbie for their ride. She wobbled a little as she walked up the few stairs to his front door.

“Alright, there?” Kotetsu said, chuckling as he appeared behind her on the small front porch. He stuck a key into the lock and opened the door for them. “Welcome to my home.”

She wandered inside, still stumbling a little. She giggled, unable to stop herself. “What’s so funny?” Kotetsu asked, flipping on the lights. She dropped her purse by the door, looking around. 

“It’s not what I expected, that’s for sure,” she said, gasping a little at the blatant honesty that had left her mouth. “I mean, I didn’t mean it like that!”

Kotetsu laughed. “Relax. I knew what you meant. Or maybe I didn’t. Do you need to call your parents and let them know where you’re at?”

“No,” she shook her head as she flopped down on the couch, relishing in how soft it was. “They think I’m at a friend’s house, working on a project.” She giggled, wrapping her arms around herself.

Kotetsu sat down next to her. “Oh? But I thought you had homework?”

“I lied.” The honest answers just kept tumbling from her mouth. “I mean, I didn’t _lie_ lie, but yes. I actually had my homework finished.”

“So...you were just trying to give me a hard time. I see how it is.” Kotetsu smirked, setting his striped cap down on the coffee table. “Would you like some water to drink? Or did you want more champagne? I do have some here.” Kotetsu got up from the couch, untying his black tie, the white dots becoming a blur as he threw it onto the coffee table where his hat had gone.

Karina shrugged, not sure what she wanted. A part of her wanted another drink, but then she also wanted to be in her right mind should anything happen between the two of them. She felt her breath leave her chest as she saw that Kotetsu had unbuttoned his vest, the ivory fabric a stark contrast to the black shirt. He had undone three buttons on his shirt, exposing his throat. _Oh, I’m not going to be able to keep it together_. She could feel herself become flush with how attractive he looked at the moment.

“How about I just get you some water?” Kotetsu smiled, heading to the small kitchenette. “Drink some of that first, then maybe we can have some more to drink. I don’t want you puking. I’d hate to think that I’d ruin champagne for you.”

As the water poured into the glass, Kotetsu kept talking. “You know, you look very pretty in that dress. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you wear something simple, yet elegant.”

“What?” Karina couldn’t tell if he was being nice or facetious.

“Wait, no! That isn’t how I meant it!” Kotetsu groaned, turning around and walking over to her with the glass of water. “I just meant you looked really pretty.”

She sighed softly. “Pretty, huh?” She took the glass, looking down at her lap. “I’m always just going to be a girl to you, aren’t I?”

“Don’t say that, Blue Rose...” Kotetsu sat down on the couch next to her.

“You can’t even say my name!” Her anger was getting the best of her, the alcohol in her system fueling her into saying things she normally would never say. “You never call me by my name! You didn’t even use it once at the bar tonight!”

Amber eyes widened in silent shock. “Karina-chan, of course I know your name. I just...I don’t know why, but I like calling you Blue Rose.” His hand raised up off of his lap and began to scratch the back of his neck. “Please don’t be upset with me. I’m an old man, you see.”

“You’re not old!” She said, punching him on the shoulder. He let out a grunt, rubbing the area where she had just punched him. “You’re not! You’re handsome and wonderful and any woman would be lucky to have you in their life.” _Crap._

His eyes widened a bit more. “You find me handsome? But...but I thought you had a crush on Bunny-chan.”

“You’re an idiot!” She screamed, standing up. She couldn’t take it anymore. “I’m going home. Thank you so much for the drinks this evening. Thanks for the compliment on my dress. I bought this for you, Kotetsu. I thought that maybe if I wore it, I’d catch your eye. But no, you look at me as a little, lost teenager than has absolutely no hormonal drive.” She walked over to the door, only to be stopped by the man she had just been verbally berating.

Kotetsu wrapped his left arm around her waist, keeping his hand against the door. “Karina...I know that you’re a beautiful woman. I just...I don’t want to take advantage of you. You’ve had too much to drink. How would it be fair of me to do anything to you with you not at one hundred percent?”

“I’m fine.” Her voice was breathless. Out of all the scenarios she had planned out in her head of this moment, this scenario had never crossed her mind. She let out a soft sigh as she felt him tighten his grip around her waist. “Are you going to let me leave, _old man_?”

His lips brushed against her hair, causing her pulse to quicken. “Do you really think I’m handsome?”

“Yes,” she whispered, closing her eyes as he felt his body press against her back. Her hormones were running wild, her body burning hotter and hotter as she thought about the position she was in.

“Do you want to go home?” Kotetsu spoke quietly, his breath ghosting against the shell of her ear. Biting her lower lip, she shook her head, letting out a soft moan as he felt his arm tighten around her waist. “Karina? May I ask you a question?” Unable to find her voice, she nodded her head, silently praying to whatever God there was that it was going to be the question she had been dreaming of him asking her for so long. “Have you ever been with someone before?”

If her blood could boil, it would be doing so. “No...” The heat that had been in her cheeks was now a different sort of heat, embarrassed that she had never had experienced anything before. She never had had the chance to date boys her own age. She was always busy working on her singing career, or making sure that Sternbild was protected as her alter ego Blue Rose. Boys were just a passing fancy. However, she had read many steamy books, and had imagined all sorts of things happening to her with the man that was currently holding her close to him. _I’m dreaming. I have to be. This can’t be real._

Soft lips pressed against her neck, making her body shiver. “Tell me, Karina....have you thought about kissing me?”

“Yes.” She knew she had to seize this moment. There was no turning away from this. Everything she had done this evening was in hopes of something like this happening. And here it was, happening as if their lives were some silly movie. Taking a deep breath, she turned her body around, pressing her supple chest against Kotetsu’s. Her hand shaking slightly, she took her right index finger and let it trail down the exposed part of his chest, eliciting a soft groan from the man’s mouth. “Is that a bad thing?”

She never received her answer. As she was pulling her hand away from his chest, Kotetsu lowered his head and let his lips graze against hers. She let out another soft moan, her knees growing weak as she felt his soft lips continue to barely brush her own. “Please,” she whispered, unable to stop herself for the simple request.

His lips covered hers, the kiss gentle. She pressed her lips against his, enjoying how their mouths seemed to fit together perfectly. Kotetsu gently opened his mouth, letting his tongue rub against her lower lip, making her open her mouth in shock at the unique sensation. Taking advantage of the situation, the older man slipped his tongue into her mouth, the pink appendage rubbing against her own. She gripped the black cloth of his shirt tightly, moaning into his mouth as their tongues touched one another. She could feel herself becoming light-headed, unsure as to why, and really didn’t care. She kept moving her tongue against his, loving how it felt against her. Kotetsu broke off the kiss, making her gasp for her.

“Karina-chan...” Kotetsu said, panting softly. “Do you...do you want to go upstairs?”

It was a loaded question. She knew that she could refuse and just keep it as a simple kiss. But her body was on fire, aching to be touched in the ways she had read about in those books. She thought about the alternatives to her current situation, and could really see nothing wrong with any of it. She gave Kotetsu a soft smile. “I do.”

He picked her up, making her squeal in delight. “Oh, thank heavens. I was afraid I was going to have to convince you to stay with me.” He held her in his arms tightly as he began to ascend the stairs up to his bedroom. She had wrapped her arms around his neck, feeling more secure.

When they entered the bedroom, he laid her down on the soft white cotton sheets. “So....” He scratched the back of his neck again, a nervous tick that made Karina giggle.

Blushing a bit, she spoke softly. “I....That was my first kiss. I...I’m not saying I don’t want it all tonight, just...take it slow.”

Kotetsu gave her a genuine smile. “Your wish is my command.” He walked over to the bedside and switched on the small lamp. Once it was turned on, he turned the overhead light off, making the room dim, with only the small lamp’s bulb lighting the space. “Don’t be nervous, Karina. I promise to be gentle this evening. And if you aren’t comfortable, then I will be a respectful gentleman and respect your wishes.”

“Arigato,” she said, sinking back against the pillows. Her heart was racing, her body about to combust from how nervous she was feeling. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes. “I’m ready whenever you are, Kotetsu-san.” _Let’s do this._


	2. Chapter 2

Reaching up with her hand, Karina rubbed her thumb across the small tuft of hair on the right side of Kotetsu’s chin. He leaned into the touch, a soft purr coming out of his throat. She giggled softly, shaking her head.

“What is it?” Kotetsu said, still leaning into her touch as he looked down at her.

She shook her head. “Nothing,” she moved her hand to the other side of his chin, rubbing the small tuft of hair there. “Just...If someone had told me five hours ago that I’d be laying here in your bed, I would have called them nasty names.”

“Nasty, huh?” Kotetsu said, lowering his head down to hers. He brushed her lips gently, eliciting a soft moan from her own throat. “What sort of nasty names would you call them?”

“I...I don’t know.” A faint blush began to cover her cheeks.

Kotetsu placed his hand on the hem of Karina’s dress. “May I remove this?” His lips grazed against his neck, kissing the delicate skin softly.

“Hai,” she whispered, the nerves that had slowly started to dissipate were making their way back into her stomach. She closed her eyes tightly as she felt the garment being pulled up and off of her, raising herself up to help him. Once the garment was gone, all that she was left with was the sheer black lace slip, and her unmentionables. She began to become worried when she didn’t hear or feel Kotetsu. “Kotetsu?” She asked timidly, opening her eyes.

He was staring at her, his cheeks flushed. “Karina,” his voice was low, sending shivers through her body. “You are so beautiful...”

“No, I’m not,” she shook her head, unable to take the compliment. She had never been good about receiving them, and here she was, hearing words she had dreamed of every night, and she couldn’t accept them.

He let his hand trail down her side, her body arching up towards his touch. “You are,” he said, lowering his head to kiss the top of her chest. She drew in her breath, surprised by the action. Her heart began to flutter faster. “Your heart is racing,” he said, placing his ear on her left breast. “Do I make you that nervous?”

“I told you, that was my first kiss,” she replied, her voice shaking a little.

Sitting up, his amber eyes looked into hers. “I told you, I’m not going to do anything you do want to do. Do you want to stop for right now? I’d rather you be comfortable with this.” He removed himself and laid down next to her, pulling her against his chest so that her back was resting comfortably against him.

“Arigato,” she whispered, closing her eyes. “I...I thought I could do this, but...” She tried her best to not let the warm liquid that was collecting in her eyes to spill over.

“Relax, Karina,” Kotetsu mumbled softly, hugging her close to him.

Doing as she was told, she began to relax, feeling safe and secure in his arms. With the alcohol swimming through her head, she began to doze off. Kotetsu chuckled softly, keeping her close against him. “Rest for a bit.” He closed his eyes and soon began to doze off as well.

After an hour of sleep, Kotetsu woke up and found that Karina was still snoring softly. He grinned, the sound of her snores sounded so peaceful. He began to nuzzle her neck, kissing it periodically. Karina began to moan softly, exposing more of her neck to him subconsciously, as she pressed herself closer to his body. He let out a low groan as he felt her practically bare backside push against his groin, the teasing driving him nuts. He began to kiss her neck more aggressively, letting his teeth bite her, enjoying how her moans sounded.

Karina blinked a few times and let out another soft moan as she felt Kotetsu’s mouth begin to suck gently on her neck. She felt a bulge press against her backside, causing her to become wide awake. She reached around and held on to his hips, trying to get him to stay in the position he was in. To feel his clothed arousal pushing against her was making her body become flush with desire.

“Karina,” Kotetsu moaned her name into her ear, making her push back against him, releasing her own moan. “Karina, I can’t hold out much longer...Let me take off your panties...” His hand was on her hip, underneath the sheer fabric of her slip.

She rubbed her backside against him, enjoying the power she had over him. The moans that kept spilling from his mouth the more she did that knew that she was in control here. “Yes,” she spoke softly, arching back into him.

In a flash, he removed her panties and tossed them to the side. He pulled her close to him and lowered his hand, running his fingers through the soft curls that were on her mound. She let out a sharp cry as she spread her legs for him, wishing to be touched by his hand. He moved his hand lower, letting his fingers push against the soft folds of her womanhood, spreading them gently with two fingers.

“You’re so wet,” Kotetsu moaned, moving his middle finger against her wet opening. Moaning softly, she pushed her hips forward against his hand. He moved his finger up, rubbing it against the small flap of skin that was close to her mound. He coaxed her clitoris to show itself with his wet fingers, making her moan loud. “That’s it, Karina,” he whispered, kissing the side of her neck. “Just feel my fingers...let me make you feel good...”

Just the tip of his middle finger rubbed against her clitoris, making her hips buck more. “Feels...feels so good,” she moaned, feeling as if her body was on fire. He began to rub his finger back and forth, removing his index finger from keeping her folds open and letting it join with his middle finger. She pushed against his arousal, feeling just how much he was enjoying this against the cleft of her backside. His fingers began to rub her faster, his hips bucking with hers as she moaned louder and louder. She felt her body snap as she climaxed, crying out as she rode out her orgasm. As soon as she was done, Kotetsu stilled his hand, but did not remove it.

His tongue licked the shell of her ear. “Did you enjoy that?”

“Yes,” she panted softly, trying to calm down her racing heart.

He moved his fingers down lower, rubbing against the opening of her womanhood. She moaned breathlessly as she raised her leg up to rest against Kotetsu’s behind her. “Would you like more?” Kotetsu asked, pushing his index finger inside of her, making the both of them moan low.

“Don’t stop,” Karina whispered, her leg tightening around Kotetsu’s shin. He moved his finger in and out of her, making her blush and moan at the same time. He added his middle finger, pushing both deep inside of her. She let out a loud cry as a sharp pain raced through her body. “Aah,” she bit her lip, trying not to wince at the momentary pain.

Kotetsu kissed his jaw, stilling his hand. “Shhh...It’s okay....I think I just....” She didn’t need to hear him say what he was going to say. She nodded her head rapidly, hoping that he would understand and not say it. He placed a few more kisses on her jaw, keeping his hand still. She turned her face and found his lips, kissing him as best she could at their awkward angle. Even if it was awkward, the gentleness of his kiss was enough to calm down her nerves.

Turning her head back, she pushed her hips back against him. He began to move his fingers once more, spreading them a little inside of her to help loosen her up. She gripped his right arm with her hands, digging her nails into his forearm as pain raced through her body once more. “It’s almost done,” Kotetsu said, nuzzling her neck. “Pleasure should be coming around in just...a...” She let out a loud moan as his fingers pushed deep inside of her. “That’s it,” Kotetsu murmured. “I bet that feels good, doesn’t it...?”

“Aahh,” was all Karina could say. Her body felt as if it were floating, the pleasure that he had promised was causing the hair on her arms to raise up. She could feel herself coming close to another orgasm as he kept moving his fingers in and out of her. “Ko-Kotetsu,” she moaned softly. “I...I’m going to....”

He began to move his fingers faster. “I’ve got you, Karina....Come for me...” She cried out as the heat raced through her body, her orgasm hitting her stronger than the first one had only a few minutes before. She moaned incoherently as he kept pushing her over the edge, her orgasm lasting almost a minute as his moans in her ear made her fly more.

Slipping his fingers out of her, he raised his hand up to his face, licking the wetness that had come from inside of her with his tongue. She moaned breathlessly once more, turning her head to watch him. She saw the shiny liquid in the soft moonlight that filtered through the bedroom window, and watched his tongue  move up and down his fingers. She leaned forward and licked his finger, surprising herself at her own boldness. She heard Kotetsu groan low as she licked his fingers with him, her tongue brushing against his as they cleaned his fingers together.

She wiped her mouth as she pulled back, looking at him. Her eyelids were half-lidded, the soft auburn of her irises almost invisible as her pupils were dilated. She saw Kotetsu’s amber eyes almost a perfect reflection of her own. She moved up against him and kissed him softly, tasting herself on his tongue, her body shivering at the pure, unadulterated passion that was passing back and forth between the two of them. She pulled back from the kiss, panting softly as she rested her head against Kotetsu’s forehead.

“I....I think I’m ready,” her voice continuing to stay soft. “I mean, if you still want to...” She didn’t want to come out and just saw “Take me!”, so she tried to play as coy as she could.

Kotetsu kissed her cheek softly, resting his cheek against hers. “Are you sure?” She nodded her head, pressing her cheek back against his. “We don’t have to...I’m perfectly okay with what just happened...”

She lifted her head and looked him straight in the eyes. “Kotetsu, I want you to be inside of me.” _I guess he just needs to actually hear it_.

“Okay,” he smiled one of his rare smiles. She giggled softly at how eager he had suddenly become as he reached across her body and opened the drawer of the nightstand. She saw the flash of a condom wrapper and laid herself down on her back. Quickly getting undressed, he tossed his clothes off to the side of the bed. Seeing his naked form in the moonlight caused a bright blush to appear on her cheeks, almost as if she had been caught with her hand in the cookie jar from the way she had been ogling his perfect body. He ripped open the wrapper and pulled the unrolled condom out, tossing the wrapper to the floor. “Do you want to watch?”

Closing her eyes tightly, she shook her head. “No, I’m alright.” She didn’t want to tell him if she watched, she may start to have doubts. Her heart was already racing again at the anticipation of the act that was about to occur.

She could hear him moving around on the bed, finally settling down between her legs. She heard him put the condom on, the sound very strange and foreign to her ears. But she was grateful that he had had one because if he hadn’t, then she would not have agreed to doing this. She did not want to end up with a mistake. _Stop thinking. You’re over thinking this too much_. She took a deep breath and just focused on dissipating her nervous energy.

The moment Kotetsu placed himself at her entrance, her heart began to go into overdrive. _I can’t do this, I can’t do this._ He lowered his head and kissed her softly, keeping his lower half perfectly still. Pulling away slowly, he leaned his head down and whispered into her ear, “I promise to be gentle, Karina. If it’s too much, just say so and I’ll stop, okay?”

Hearing the tenderness in his voice, Karina began to feel more at ease. She nodded her head, turning her face to kiss him once more. Settling back on the pillow, she inhaled deeply as she felt him push into her. She bit her bottom lip, the pain that she had felt before returning in full force as he pushed himself all the way in. Her eyes watered, a single tear spilling from her eye.

“It’ll be over soon,” Kotetsu whispered, kissing the tear away. “I’m not going to move until you tell me to, okay?” She nodded her head, trying her best to will the pain the stop. Concentrating on Kotetsu’s lips moving against her neck, she let go of her tension, the pain almost disappearing immediately.

“You...you can...” She pushed herself against him, moaning as she felt him shift inside of her. “You can move...”

He pulled back, looking into her eyes. “If it’s too much, just tell me.” She nodded her head, smiling softly, trying to ease the worry she saw in his eyes.

“Now who needs to relax?” She said, giggling softly. “Just move, Kotetsu...”

He pushed himself forward, thrusting into her gently. She let out a soft moan, the feeling of his arousal being inside of her quite different than how his fingers had felt. She rocked her hips, pushing back against him as he moved in and out of her, her entire body on fire. Soon, their bodies were slapping together as they set a fast pace. She could feel herself already coming close to another orgasm, the intensity with which Kotetsu kept thrusting hard into her almost too much. She moaned loud and placed her hands on his shoulders, making him move faster. Gripping him tightly, she lifted her legs experimentally and wrapped them around his waist, moaning loud as he struck a new part of her that caused her to lose sight for a brief second.

“That’s it,” Kotetsu moaned low, thrusting into her again, pushing against her g-spot, something she had thought wasn’t real, but the way her body felt after feeling him against her there made her think otherwise. She began to moan with a high-pitched tone each time he pushed deep inside of her. She wrapped her legs tighter around him, moaning loud as her body rocked against his. Karina let out a loud gasp as she reached her climax, her orgasm racing through her body as Kotetsu continued to thrust deep inside of her. She heard him let out a low groan as he pushed himself one last time before stilling his hips.

Panting softly, she lowered her legs back down to the bed. Kotetsu lowered his head to her neck, his own pants mimicking hers. The two lay there for a few moments, just basking in the afterglow of their orgasms. She lifted her hand and rubbed his back gently, drawing a soft sigh from his lips.

“Was....was I okay...?” She asked, embarrassed that she would even ask the question, but couldn’t stop herself from saying it. It was her worst fear that they would do something like this, and then she wouldn’t be any good at it.

Kotetsu raised his head and rubbed his chin against her cheek, his unique goatee feeling nice against her. “Okay? Karina-chan, you were much better than ‘okay’.” He kissed her, letting their lips dance together in a chaste kiss before pulling away and nuzzles her cheek once more. “You were amazing.”

She let out a soft sigh as he pulled out of her. “Thank you,” she spoke softly. Reaching down, she grabbed the first article of clothing she could find and slipped it over her shoulders. Kotetsu’s rather large green shirt hung on her body as she sat up. “Bathroom?”

“First door on the right,” Kotetsu said. “Sorry I don’t have a bathroom in here.”

Standing up, almost falling back down on the bed, her legs refusing to cooperate with her, Karina let out a giggle. “It’s fine, Kotetsu.” She walked out of the room and headed down the hall, opening the first door on her right.

Her hand found the light switch and turned it on as she stepped into the bathroom, closing the door quietly. She looked at her reflection in the mirror and felt a small smile appear on her face. Her neck was red in many areas, thanks to Kotetsu’s facial hair that had kept rubbing against her. She saw a few bite marks, raising her hand to touch them. She winced at the slight pain, but remembered how good they had felt when they were being given to her, and that made her smile even more. She walked over to the toilet and did her business. Her girlfriend had told her that she was supposed to use the restroom whenever she finished having sex, supposedly to flush any of ‘left-over’ stuff out of her body. She couldn’t understand that reasoning, but found herself doing as she had been told just to make sure she played it safe.

She washed her hands, looking back at her reflection. _I don’t feel any different. I feel the same as I did earlier tonight. Just...not a virgin anymore._ She giggled, wiping her hands off on the small hand towel. Walking back down the hall, his shirt hanging off of her frame, she headed back into the room. There was Kotetsu, sitting up in the bed, drinking some Pepsi NEXT.

“You drink that stuff?” She asked, shocked that he had some soda in his bedroom. He shrugged, chugging some more of the carbonated beverage and set it down on the nightstand.

“It’s your sponsor, right?” He said, pulling her arm. She allowed herself to be pulled, falling back down onto the bed. He wrapped his arms around her and smiled. “You know, I kinda like the way you look in my shirt.”

Blushing, she pressed her face against his chest. “I didn’t want to walk around in just my slip.” Her excuse sounded horrible, and Kotetsu knew it from the laugh that escaped his throat.

“You’re adorable,” he said, hugging her close to him. “Now, get some sleep. I set the alarm for 6:30. Is that early enough for you to get ready for school?”

“Hai,” she said, nodding her head. “Will you be here when I wake up?”

Kotetsu squeezed her a bit. “Of course. I’m not just going to disappear on you, Karina.”

“Arigato,” she whispered, feeling herself becoming drowsy. “What....what’s going to happen now?” She yawned, her body relaxing against his.

Kotetsu sighed softly. “I’m not sure. But we’ll talk about in the morning, okay?”

But she didn’t hear him, for she was already fast asleep, her body worn out from all the activity of the evening. 


	3. Chapter 3

_Bzzzzt! Bzzzzt! Bzzzzzt! Bzzzzzzt!_

Karina groaned as she heard the familiar sound of an alarm going off. She tried turning over to hit the snooze button but found herself restricted. Panicking for a moment, not remembering where she was, she relaxed when felt one of the things restricting her reaching up and hitting the snooze alarm for her. Blinking a few times, she looked down and saw the green and white wristlet on the person’s right wrist. _Kotetsu. Oh....my....._

She sat up, her heart beating fast. Everything was slowly coming back to her, what they had done the night prior. Her head swam, from the shock of what she had done and from the lack of water in her body. _Champagne..._

Kotetsu let go of her and rolled over, yawning. “What’s....the matter, Karina-chan?” After he finished yawning, he wrapped his arm around her waist, resting his head on her exposed thigh. “I must say....I like seeing you in my shirt first thing in the morning.”

“Oh!” She had forgotten she had put his shirt on before heading to the bathroom the night before. She thought she had taken it off, but looking down at her arms, she saw the loosen green sleeves of his shirt hanging off her arms. “I’m sorry.” She didn’t know what else to say.

“For what?” Kotetsu said, turning his head to look at her. “Are you okay? You have plenty of time to get ready for school.” He looked over at the clock, just to make sure. “I’d say we’ve got a little extra time on our hands...” He turned his head, the short hairs of his beard rubbing against her thigh in a pleasant manner.

She scooted away from him and shook her head. “No, I don’t think there’s time for that.” She stood up and pulled his shirt off of her body, panicking. “May I use your shower?”

“Karina, don’t you think we need to talk?” Kotetsu said, sitting up and looking at her. “I mean, something happened last night that we can’t just ignore.”

Looking down at the floor, she shook her head. “I know that we can’t. I just...I don’t know...I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. I don’t know how I’m supposed to act. I....” She raised her head and saw that his amber eyes were watching her. “I mean...”

He pulled her back down to the bed and wrapped his arms around him, hugging her to him. She didn’t move until he gave her a gentle squeeze. She wrapped her arms around his waist, still hesitating. “Karina, you don’t have to act any different to me. What happened happened. Are you upset that it did?” She shook her head violently, not at all upset. “Are you mad at me? Do you feel like I took advantage of you?” Again, she shook her head. “Then, relax.” He let go of holding her so tightly and removed his left arm from her body, his left hand touching her face. “You should get ready.”

“Hai,” she said softly, turning her face into his hand. _How do I tell you that I’m afraid? I’m afraid that if I go to change and leave for school, that’s it. Do I tell you that I don’t want this to be it? How do we make this work? Can we? Is it even possible?_ She let out a soft sigh and pulled away from him. “May I use your shower? I’ll be quick. I just want to rinse off my body.” She had washed her hair the night before heading out to the bar.

Kotetsu nodded. “You remember where the bathroom is?” She nodded her head, smiling. “Okay. Go have fun. I’m going to catch a few more z’s.” He laid back down on the bed, covering himself with the sheet and blanket, almost passing out immediately as he got comfortable. She giggled softly, enjoying seeing this rare side of him.

She headed to the bathroom and closed the door. Debating on whether or not to lock the door, she locked it, against her better judgement. She turned the nozzle of the shower, twisting it so that it would release hot water. The steam from the water began to billow out, covering the mirror in fog. She quickly took off her slip and set it down on the bathroom counter. Throwing her hair up into a high ponytail, leaving the last bit of hair stuck in the hair tie she had grabbed from the sink, _must be his daughter’s_ , so that none of her hair would get wet. She hopped into the shower, letting out a soft moan at the hot spray as it pierced her back.

Reaching for the liquid soap, she opened the bottle and inhaled. She felt her heart race as the familiar scent of Kotetsu came out of the bottle, excitement coursing through her as she poured some onto a clean washcloth she had grabbed from the towel rack. She began to wash herself thoroughly, hoping that it was going to be a cool day outside. She had brought a turtleneck with her to wear under her school uniform, just in case. And it was a good thing she had done so because, if she remembered correctly, there were a few bite marks she wasn’t looking forward to explaining. She hoped that they wouldn’t be called out on a mission later in the day. There was no way that they would be covered with her Hero ensemble. She quickly rinsed off and got out of the shower, wrapping a towel around her body. Taking a small hand towel, she wiped away some of the condensation from the mirror.

Spot checking her neck for further evidence of what had happened, she saw that there were only two small marks that would easily be covered by makeup if it came down to it. She tightened the towel around her and unlocked the bathroom door, picking up the slip from the counter as she walked out of the bathroom. Wandering back into the bedroom she saw that Kotetsu was still lying in bed, snoring softly. Not wanting to bother him, she headed back down the stairs to grab the bag she had brought with her. She walked back up the stairs and went into his room, setting the bag down at the edge of the bed.

“Is it time for you to go?” Kotetsu said, his voice gruff with sleep. She melted at the sound of his voice, unsure of how she was to respond to it. She put on a clean pair of panties and a simple bra underneath her towel before letting it drop to the floor. “Mmm....Too bad you have to go...” Kotetsu said, now awake and watching her. “I could think of a few things I’d like to do before you go.”

She felt the blush rising up in her cheeks. “Not now,” she slipped her turtleneck over her head. Grabbing her skirt, she stepped into it, zipping it up on the side and hooking it so it would stay in place. “Besides, why would you want to do anything with me again? I wasn’t that good. And it’s okay. Once was enough.” She blushed, slipping her button up shirt on, quickly buttoning it. Finding her socks, she put them on, and stepped into her Mary Jane’s, putting her clothes from last night back into the bag.

“Karina-chan...” Kotetsu said, shaking his head. “When did I ever say that?”

Smiling nervously, she shrugged. “You didn’t. But you don’t have. Anyway, I’m off to school. Thank you for the night last night. I really had a lot of fun. I guess I’ll see you later?” She dashed out of the room, terrified of what he may say to her. She would rather have the last word than him. She headed down the stairs, not listening to any of the words that Kotetsu was saying, for she could hear the timber of his voice, just no clear, concise words. She grabbed her school bag and opened the front door. Hailing a taxi, one appeared almost seconds later. She hopped into the back, giving the cabbie the name and address of her school, and off she went.

Throughout the entire day, all she could think about was Kotetsu. How he had spoken to her like she was the only one that matter. How he had been such a gentleman about everything. How he had made absolutely sure that what they had done was what she had wanted. That he was never forcing her to do something she didn’t want to do. How his hands had felt on her body, how his fingers touched her in ways she had never been able to. She could feel herself become flush with need as she thought about just how his fingers moved in and out of her body.

“Miss Lyle? Did you hear my question?” Her history teacher asked to the class. Blushing, she shook her head and said a quiet apology. “Pay attention, please.” The teacher went back to her lesson, not bothering to repeat the question again for her.

“Karina!” Emily whispered so that only she and their friend Jane could hear. “Why are you zoning out? Ooooh. Something did _happen_ last night, didn’t it?”

“Shh!” Karina said, blushing profusely. “I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

Jane shook her head. “Wait. What is Emily talking about? Karina, did you go out last night?”

“She did,” Emily said, nodding her head. “She sent me a text asking to cover for her if her parents called. Which, means to me, that she didn’t go home last night. Were you with a boy?”

“No,” Karina said. She could safely say that she wasn’t. She was most definitely not with a boy. Not at all. She squeezed her legs together, willing the thoughts that were racing through her mind to stop, so that she didn’t embarrass herself any further.

“Then why are you wearing a turtleneck when it’s 78 degrees outside, hmm?” Emily said, shaking her head. “You’re hiding something.”

Karina looked up at the teacher, trying her best to pay attention to the lesson. “I was cold this morning. I didn’t think it was going to be this warm today.” She shrugged her shoulders, passing it off as nothing.

“Why don’t you go the bathroom and take it off, then?” Jane asked, playing devil’s advocate.

“When there’s only a half hour left of school? That seems a bit silly. I’ll just change when I get home. Thanks for your concern, though.” Karina turned back and watched the teacher.

Emily gave a loud sigh. “We’ll get it out of you, Karina. Don’t think this is over.”

_I know. You two are incorrigible._ She shook her head, ignoring her friends as they went back and forth with each other, trying to figure out just what it was she did the night before. She felt the floor beside her vibrate, telling her someone had just either tried to call her or sent her a text. She fished through her bag and found her smartphone. Pulling it out, she saw that she had a missed text.

_“When are you done with school?”_ She bit her lip, trying to keep the squeals she wanted to let out escape from her lips. _Kotetsu_. She began to type underneath the message. _“Why do you want to know? You never cared before.”_ She giggled to herself, knowing that that would probably drive him nuts. She could just picture him, frustrated. _“Awww. Karina-chan, don’t be like that.”_ She shook her head, no longer paying attention to the rest of the lesson. _“School is out in about twenty minutes. Why? Does the world need saving? I didn’t get a call.”_ A picture message appeared, a bottle of champagne. _“I need saving, Karina-chan. I can’t stop thinking about you.”_

She contemplated on what to send back to him. She didn’t want to sound as needy as he was sounding, but she really hadn’t been able to stop thinking about what they had done before. She thought she would be okay with just one time. One time, just to get it out of her system, so she could move on from the crush that she had on him and focus her attention on boys of her own age. But, strangely, she couldn’t think of a reason to keep it only to one time. She always had assumed that she wouldn’t be good enough for him, that there would be others that would occupy his mind. And here he was, sending her texts of bottles of champagne, telling her he couldn’t stop thinking about her. She bit her lip and began to type.

_“Can’t stop thinking about me? Or can’t stop thinking about the fuck session we had last night?”_ Karina knew that she probably shouldn’t have used that word. Heck, that word was not a part of her every day vocabulary. But, it just seemed appropriate, given the context of what she had just asked. The bell rang for the day, at the exact moment she let out a soft giggle at what the man had sent to her in return.

_“O.O I think that those two would go hand in hand with each other. And what’s with that language, huh?”_ She laughed, packing her things away. _“Oh, whatever. I have to go.”_ She stuck her phone back into her bag, placing the ring on silent, making sure that her friends didn’t see the small blush that had appeared on her face.

“So, are we heading to the library to study?” Karina asked, looking at her friends.

“Yes. Let’s go. And don’t get mad if all we do is try and figure out just what it was you were doing last night,” Jane said, giggling.

Karina shook her head. “You two will get nothing out of me.”

“We’ll see about that.”

…

Kotetsu let out a frustrated groan as he stared at his phone. He had been waiting for Karina to reply to his last text, yet there was still nothing from her. He set his phone on his desk, groaning again.

“Must you be so vocal?” His partner, Barnaby Brooks Jr., asked him in an irritated tone. “You have been so annoying all day. Care to tell me what that’s about?”

The older man shook his head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Bunny-chan. I’ve just been myself. Always annoying, all the time.” He grinned, relaxing back in his office chair. “I just hate being stuck at this desk all day. When is something going to happen?” 

“Right. You want to go out and fight.” The blonde pushed his glasses up his nose, shaking his head, the blonde’s perfectly flipped coiffure moving with each shake of his head. “Why don’t I believe you? There is something else going on. Are you upset because I didn’t stay for the duration of the gathering last night? I told you, I was tired and was not interested in drinking all night.”

Kotetsu shook his head. “No, no. I don’t care about that at all. I’m fine.” He was actually quite grateful that the man had decided to leave. He had been hoping to spend a bit of time with the girl that had been on his mind, the one that was still plaguing his thoughts. He was almost glad that they didn’t have to head out to help the city. When Karina had left in the morning, it was less than he had hoped it would be.

He stared off, not really looking at one set thing. He hoped that they wouldn’t be called out until he had a chance to properly speak to Karina. He didn’t want her to think that he had just done what he had done because they were a little inebriated. He wanted her to know that there was a lot more to it than that. Every time he had invited everyone out, he had wanted to have some time alone with her. Up until last night, he had never had the chance for fear of what his partner would think. He knew that they had a close friendship, and he didn’t want the man to feel threatened if he were to start to talk to Karina more. With him leaving early, the opportunity had presented itself, and he took it without hesitation.

“Ojii-san, are you listening to me?” Barnaby said, staring at him. Kotetsu blinked a few times and looked over at his partner.

“Huh? What were you saying?” Kotetsu said.

“You weren’t listening to me.” Barnaby let out a sigh. “I asked if you wanted to grab a bite to eat with me before heading home. I’m almost finished with my work, and clearly you seem to already be finished with yours. I mean, you’re not really trying to hide that fact.”

Kotetsu shook his head, laughing. “What’s the point? They know what we do here. If there isn’t anything going on, then there’s only so much paperwork I can do.” He leaned back in his chair. Looking over at the hallway outside, he heard the elevator ding and watched as Karina step off the elevator, his heart skipping a beat. Leaning back too far in his chair, he tried catching himself, but it was too late. He let out a yelp, falling out of his chair and landing on his back.

Barnaby stood up quickly. “Are you alright?”

Closing his eyes, hoping that no one else saw his clumsiness, he nodded his head. Before he spoke, he heard footsteps approaching. “Why is he on the floor?” He felt his heart pick up its pace once more, hearing the soft voice of the girl, no, young woman, he had been thinking of all day. “Kotetsu-san, are you okay?”

He tried to open his eyes, but his hat had fallen over his brow. Sitting up, he took his newsboy cap and readjusted it, flashing a smile to the two concerned persons standing over him and looking at him. “I”m fine, guys. I just lost my balance. No worries.” He chuckled nervously, not sure why he was feeling so uncomfortable. Instead of taking either of their offered hands, he stood up on his own, brushing himself off. “What are you doing here, Ka-Blue Rose?” He almost called her by her first name, but stopped himself. It wasn’t normal for him to call her anything but her hero name, so he quickly adjusted himself to make sure nothing seemed off. He saw the flash of hurt pass through her eyes, making him groan inwardly. _It’s not like that, Karina! I promise!_

“I wanted to get some training in. My parents are out for the evening and I just didn’t feel like sitting at home alone.” Karina said, speaking quietly. It was breaking Kotetsu’s heart, hearing the sadness in her voice. _Great. I’ve screwed up and we’ve yet to talk._

“Say, would you like to join Bunny-chan and I for some dinner?” Kotetsu said, without thinking. He looked over at Barnaby. “Is that okay, Bunny?”

Barnaby shrugged his shoulders. “It’s fine. It doesn’t matter to me either way. But I think Ms. Lyle expressed that she wanted to train, so why would she want to join us for dinner?” The words seemed docile enough, but if Kotetsu didn’t know his partner better than he did, he would almost swear it sounded like he was uninviting the girl. He scratched the back of his neck, grinning.

“Okay, that settles it! Come on, Blue Rose. Let’s go eat!” He grabbed her hand, feeling his body become instantly hot the moment they touched. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze, hoping that the small gesture would ease her feelings. He remembered what it had been like the first time he had ever done anything with another person. He hated thinking that she may be doubting what they had done the night before. He pulled her to the elevator, pushing the button rapidly.

Karina felt as if she were floating on air. She hadn’t expected to see him this evening. She thought it was late enough that she wouldn’t have to run into him. But when she had heard the crash, she went to investigate. Of course it had to have been him, who else would make such a ruckus at this time of day? She looked down and saw that he was still holding her hand. Blushing a bit, she pulled her hand away, not sure of what to do or say.

The elevator dinged. She turned around and saw that Barnaby was right behind her. “Where were you guys going to go get something to eat?” She asked, stepping to the back of the elevator. Kotetsu followed her in, standing in front of her.

“We hadn’t discussed it yet,” Barnaby said, following his partner into the elevator. He pushed the button ‘L’ for the lobby, and the elevator began its descent. “Did you have a place in mind, Karina?”

She shook her head, but then realized that there was no reflection in his particular elevator. “No, I didn’t, Barnaby. Maybe we could go to the sushi place just a few blocks down the street?” She tried not to notice that Kotetsu was scooting back just a few millimeters at a time, trying to be discreet about it. She bit her lower lip, unsure what the man was up to. However, before he was able to get to his intended destination, the elevator stopped on a floor and a horde of people entered, pushing both Barnaby and Kotetsu back against the back wall, Karina now sandwiched between the two men.

“Excuse me,” Barnaby said after he accidentally brushed against her shoulder. She looked up at him and smiled.

“It’s fine, Barnaby. It’s not your fault these people just walked in.” She was doing her best to keep her cool, for when she began to speak, someone’s hand had found its way to her backside and was barely touching it with the tip of their finger, sending shivers down her spine. _What is he doing?!_ “I know I’m short, so I just take it as normal.” She took a breath, hoping that she didn’t sound as off as she thought she did.

Barnaby smiled and shook his head. “Even still, I should not have bumped into you. I apologize.” He bowed his head a little. “Kotetsu? You okay?”

“Fine, Bunny-chan,” the older man replied, grinning. “Why do you ask?”

“You’ve got an odd look on your face.”

The elevator arrived at the lobby before anything further could be discussed. All of the people began to exit the elevator. Karina let Barnaby move first, which the blonde took gratefully. As she began to walk out, she felt a set of fingers pinch her backside. Biting back a yelp, she watched as Kotetsu quickly walked past her, a smile on his face. She shook her head, smiling and exited the elevator with him.

“So, sushi?” She asked, walking towards the revolving doors, leading to the outside world.

“Sounds good to me!” Kotetsu said. “Bunny?”

“I can go for that.” Barnaby nodded, smiling as he pushed his glasses back up on the bridge of his nose.

The three of them exited the building and headed to the restaurant. After much food was consumed, they each split the bill three ways and headed back outside. Karina looked at the two guys and smiled.

“Thanks for the nice conversation at dinner, you guys.” She hefted her shoulder bag higher up on her shoulder. “I think I’m going to head back and work off those extra calories I just ate.” She smiled. “See you guys later?”

Barnaby nodded and gave her a small smile. “Alright, Karina. You be safe when you’re walking, okay? All we need is to get a call for some damsel in distress, and it’s you.” He let out a soft laugh, making the girl blush.

“I can handle my own, thank you very much.” She stuck her tongue out at him. She looked at Kotetsu, feeling her heart begin to flutter faster. “See you later?”

The older man nodded. “Be careful, Blue Rose.”

“I will.” She smiled and headed off back towards Apollon Media, serious about wanting to go work out. Her intention before had been to work out. She did not deviate from her plan.  She began to walk at a steady pace, the weather having become a little bit colder as the sun had set.

Kotetsu and Barnaby were walking to nowhere in particular. “Tssch!” Kotetsu said, stopping suddenly, hitting his hand on his forehead.

“What is it?” Barnaby asked, clearly concerned at his friend’s odd behavior.

Kotetsu sighed and shook his head. He patted his legs and his backside. “I think I left my phone back on my desk.” Truth be told, he had hidden it in an inside pocket of his vest, making it invisible to the naked eye. “I was expecting a call from Kaede soon. She’ll kill me if I don’t talk to her.”

“Alright, Ojii-san.” Barnaby said, chuckling. “Go on back there. Do you want me to give you a call later? Just in case your phone isn’t there? Perhaps you left it in the restroom? Locker room?”

“I last had it at my desk. I’m almost positive it’s there. But sure. Give me a call in a little bit.” He grinned, tipping his hat back on his head. “You gonna be okay for the night?”

Barnaby nodded. “I should be. But I’ll be talking to you soon, so if I’m not, then I’m sure we can fix that.”

“Okay, Bunny. I’ll talk to you later then.” Kotetsu smiled and began to head back to Apollon himself.

As Karina worked out on the weight machines, she couldn’t help but notice how nice and quiet the training room was. _Coming this late in the day really is kind of nice._ She put her earbuds back in after adjusting the weights to a higher mass and began to listen to loud music. As she began to exert herself more, her arms beginning to feel like jelly, the door to the facility opened. Having her earbuds in, she did not hear it. She let out a startled yelp, the weights crashing back down into a stationary position as Kotetsu appeared in front of her, smiling and waving at her. She ripped her earbuds out of her ears, blushing profusely.

“Geez! Give a girl a heart attack!” She said, shaking her head. “What are you doing here? I thought you and Barnaby were heading home?” She grabbed her towel and wiped at her face, hoping that she didn’t look too disgusting in her standard workout outfit. She knew that her light blue shirt was probably a little less than desirable, but there wasn’t much she could do about that at the moment.

Kotetsu frowned. “I’m sorry, Karina! I didn’t mean to frighten you! You were listening to your music, so what else was I supposed to do? I called your name but you didn’t acknowledge me. Unless you were ignoring me? Then I feel like a complete idiot.” He shook his head, sitting down on the bench of the machine next to the one she was using.

“Oh....Sorry. I like to drown the sound of the machine out, so I have to listen to my music extremely high to achieve that. But you didn’t answer my question. What are you doing here?”

Kotetsu chuckled. “Well, I said I left my phone on my desk.”

“Did you get it?” Karina asked, wiping her brow again.

“I lied,” Kotetsu said, his amber eyes piercing hers.

She felt her stomach drop at that comment. “You lied? But...why?”

“I wanted to come see you, but I didn’t know how Bunny would react. We still need to talk, Karina.” Kotetsu said. “You just left me this morning.”

Letting out a soft sigh, she nodded her head. “I know. I’m sorry. I can explain.”

“I’m all ears.”

She stood up from the workout bench. “Do you mind if I get dressed first? I feel silly wearing this. I’m sure I smell too.”

He stood up and leaned forward, his lips centimeters away from her neck. “You smell wonderful, Karina.” He placed a soft kiss on her neck. “But yes, go get dressed.”

“Thank you.” She blushed brightly. _Great. Am I ready for this right now?_ She didn’t think she had that much of a choice. Grabbing her towel, she walked towards the locker room, praying that she could get through the conversation she had known she had avoided in the morning.

…

* * *

**A/N:** My apologies if Barnaby seemed a little off. All will be explained, in due time. Up next, a proper talk? Or might someone get distracted? ^_^ Thanks for reading! 


	4. Chapter 4

The heat of the shower pierced her skin, relaxing the muscles that had tensed up when she had first run into Barnaby and Kotetsu upon arriving at Apollon. She closed her eyes, shocked that Kotetsu had actually lied to his partner to come back and see her. She still didn’t believe it, didn’t believe that the man was outside the room, waiting for her. She picked up the small bottle of shampoo that was kept in the private stalls and poured some into her hand. As she began to wash her hair, she hummed a soft tune to herself.

With the water on full blast, and her humming soft, she did not hear a door open into the women’s locker room. Kotetsu peeked in and saw that she was already in the shower, the shadow of her in the stall made his stomach begin to flip flop. He entered the locker room, which was quickly becoming a sauna with how hot the water must have been in her shower. Kotetsu began to untie his tie, and then an idea began to form in his head. He walked across the small distance, shedding clothes as he went, until he was completely naked and standing right in front of the shower stall. Taking a deep breath, half expecting to be pushed back out the moment he stepped in, he quietly opened the shower stall and stepped inside.

Karina was facing the spray, unaware of the extra body that was now in the small stall. She let out a surprised squeak when she felt someone’s hands on her head. “Kotetsu!!” She shouted, her heart hammering loudly in her ears.

“Sorry!” Kotetsu said, not sounding sorry in the slightest. “I was just wondering what was taking so long.” He helped get some of the soap out of her hair.

She turned around and looked up into his amber eyes. “So you just _had_ to get into the shower with me?”

He grinned, shrugging his shoulders. “Maybe? What’s wrong with that?”

“What’s wrong with that?” She said, still keeping her eyes on his. She didn’t want to look down. She knew that he had to be naked. She could feel the heat from the lower half of his body gravitating to the heat of hers. But she refused to look, she had only seen a man’s anatomy in a book, never having had the chance to see one for herself in person. _I’m not ready for that_ , a blush creeping upon her face as her thoughts began to betray her.

“Why are you blushing?” Kotetsu said, leaning his head down. He placed his forehead against hers, just resting there. “There’s no reason to be shy around me, Karina-chan. It’s just the two of us in here. No one else.” He lowered his head, his lips brushing against her ear. “Besides, it isn’t as if I haven’t made you moan my name.” The whispered words caused her to let out a soft moan of her own. “So, really....there’s no reason to be nervous right now.”

Karina leaned her head back as she felt his lips began to travel down her neck. “What....what about our talk...?”

“Did you want to do that right now?” Kotetsu said, kissing her shoulder. “I mean, we can do that if you’d like. But don’t you want to do something else...?”

Letting out a soft sigh, she shook her head. “No....I mean, yes...I mean...I don’t know, Kotetsu.”

“I will stop if you want me to.” Kotetsu raised his head up and looked at her. “I mean that, Karina.” His voice took on a serious tone, completely different from the playful tone it had been only moments before. “I never want you to feel like you’re forced to do anything with me.” He looked into her eyes, making it difficult for her to breathe.

She closed her eyes and gave a small nod of her head. “I appreciate that, Kotetsu. I...I’d just like to finish up my shower, if that’s okay? You’re more than welcome to help me, but I’m afraid that I’m just not ready to do anything just yet.”

“Understood,” Kotetsu said, stepping away from her. “Was that so hard to say?”

Shaking her head, she reached down for the conditioner. “No. I...I’m sorry. I just...” She turned around and stood in the spray as she put the conditioner on her hair. She bit her lower lip to stifle a soft moan as she felt Kotetsu begin to massage her scalp for her. “Wh-What are you doing?”

“I’m helping you,” Kotetsu said, continuing to massage her scalp. “Just enjoy it. I promise, no funny stuff.” He chuckled as he lathered her hair for her.

She let out an inaudible sigh, resting her head against the wall. Kotetsu had angled the shower head to not spray directly down on her, the water splashing against the tiled floor instead. She began to relax as she felt his fingers dance upon her scalp, her heart doing its best to keep a steady beat. But having him so close to her was making things rather difficult. Karina moaned quietly when Kotetsu’s hands began to massage her neck.

Placing his lips against the side of her neck, kneading her muscles gently, Kotetsu chuckled softly. “Does that feel nice, Karina-chan?” She let out another soft moan and nodded her head. He let his hand begin to trail down the side of her body, watching her skin as the hair follicles began to stand up. “Am I giving you the chills?” He lifted his head, watching the expression change on her face. He had not lied to her, he would never push her into something she didn’t want. But he could tell that she did indeed want something, but was nervous or scared about it. So, being the good person that he was, he was trying to get to her recognize that having these feelings were okay.

“A-A-Ah....A little...” Karina said. Kotetsu had stopped moving his hand, holding her side gently. “You...” She took a breath. “You don’t have to stop, Kotetsu...”

The older man smiled and kissed the side of her neck. “But I thought you didn’t want to do this...I thought you wanted to just shower. No pressure, Karina-chan. I just want you to be as comfortable as you can be.” He let his fingers span out, trickling them down her side. Kotetsu felt her shiver at the new sensation and began to move his hand down lower. He kissed the side of her neck, keeping the lower half of his body as far away from her as he could, not wanting to frighten her with his very erect arousal. “Karina-chan,” he spoke softly into her ear, “maybe I should go and wait back in the locker room.”

Karina turned around and looked at him. “Don’t go...” Feeling bold, she took his face into her hands and pulled him down into a kiss, her lips touching his first. She sank back to the floor, their lips never parting as Kotetsu bent his neck to keep her comfortable. Opening her mouth a little as she felt his tongue rub against her lower lip, she allowed Kotetsu to deepen the kiss. She pressed herself against him, gasping into the kiss as she felt just how much he was enjoying this. She lowered her hand from where it had been wrapped around his neck and ran her fingers up and down his arousal.

He broke off the kiss, letting out a low groan. “Karina....what are you doing...?” He leaned his head back as she continued to touch him, keeping her eyes on his chest.

“Is this bad?” She asked. Now it was her turn to watch the expressions on his face. She kept moving her fingers up and down, her heart fluttering faster, afraid of actually touching it “I...I’ve never done this before. If I’m doing something wrong, then just tell me.” She felt the heat return in her cheeks, knowing that she was blushing more than she cared to be.

Kotetsu placed one hand on the wall to steady himself. He lowered his other hand and held the hand that Karina had been using. “More like....this.” He took her hand and wrapped it around his arousal, keeping his own hand wrapped around hers. His body shuddered as he felt the softness of her hand encircle him, groaning softly.

Feeling her face become extremely hot, her nerves beginning to get the better of herself, she tried her best to keep her breath steady. But the warmness of his hand, and the rigidness of his arousal, and listening to the way he breathed was making it rather difficult. She followed him, her stomach dropping each time he moved her hand up and down. Unable to stop herself, she moaned as he made her squeeze her hand when it reached the tip of his arousal. She felt a wetness come out of the top, making her hand moist. “What....what is that?” She asked, feeling foolish for asking such a silly question. _I’m so stupid!_

“It’s....mmmm....you know how....you get....wet...?” Kotetsu groaned, trying to concentrate on telling her what was happening, rather than pay attention to the way she began to move her hand on her own. Letting go of her hand, he placed his other hand opposite the one that was already pushing against the shower wall. He hung his head, moaning low with each stroke of her hand.

“Yes,” Karina spoke quietly, watching his reactions as she increased the pressure of her hand against his arousal. “Is it like that?” She saw his mouth open in a silent groan as he began to move his hips forward, pushing against her hand. She felt more of the wetness seep out on her fingers. Refusing to look down, she just allowed it to gather on her hand, amazed at how it was helping her hand move up and down. “Kotetsu...” She said breathlessly, watching him.

“Don’t...don’t stop,” Kotetsu moaned, no longer remembering the conversation they were having. He knew that if she kept this up, there would be more of that surprise liquid. He wasn’t sure how to tell her except to let it happen. _I hope she doesn’t get mad at me._ He bucked his hips more, pushing against her hand. “Squeeze....squeeze it a little tighter, Karina...”

She squeezed him harder, and heard him groan low. “Is that good?” She moved her hand faster, squeezing it off and on, enjoying how it felt in her hand.

“So good...” Kotetsu pressed his forehead against hers, his breaths becoming more and more labored. “You sure...you’ve never....done this....before...?”

“Positive.” She closed her eyes, stroking him faster. As she moved her hand faster, the sound of music began to fill the locker room. “What...what is that?”

_Damn it!_ Kotetsu let out a low groan. “Don’t worry...just...my phone....” He would recognize that tune anywhere. It was a cheesy rendition of ‘Bunny Hop’, set specifically for Barnaby. “I’ll...I’ll call them back later...”

She knew who was calling. Everyone knew that ring tone. To say that she received a thrill that he did not want to take the call would be an understatement. She moved her hand faster and moved her head down, her lips brushing against the base of his neck. He moaned loud, pushing his hips forward. Letting her tongue dip into the small hollow of his clavicle, she tightened her grip and moved her hand faster, listening to the moans that Kotetsu was producing with each stroke and grip of her hand.

“Karina...Karina...I’m going....” He was barely able to let out a warning as the liquid that was coming from the tip of him before began to be released in a warm wave, the liquid coating her hand as she kept stroking him. _He’s coming_ , she thought to herself as Kotetsu let out a guttural moan. When she felt nothing more be released onto her hand, she slowed down her strokes and gently let go of him, kissing his neck one last time before lifting her head.

Opening her eyes, she looked up at him and saw that his eyes were still closed and his breaths were still coming out in short gasps. She moved her hand to be under the spray of the water, almost afraid to look at it. _Later. If there is a later. Oh, what am I saying?_ She moved the shower head so that it was back over the both of them, spraying them with its warmth. “We should probably get out of the shower soon.”

“Yes,” Kotetsu said, nodding his head slowly. He lowered his head and let his lips press against hers softly, the kiss filled with a silent promise. “Would you like for me to let you finish up in here?”

“Probably a good idea.” She blushed, lifting up on her toes to give him another kiss. She smiled when she heard him let out an almost silent moan when she pulled back away from him. “Go call him back. When I get out, we’ll talk, okay?” Her auburn eyes met his amber ones, both carrying the same reflection - desire. She knew that before they did anything more, they’d have to talk. Find out where each other stands.

Kotetsu nodded and kissed her cheek. “I’ll be right outside, okay?” He exited the shower, grabbing the towel he had put on the bench by the stall and wrapped it around himself. He looked back and saw that Karina had already begun to wash the conditioner out of her hair. She had the brightest smile on her face, which made him smile in return. Trying to calm his racing heart, he picked up the phone and walked out of room, stepping into a small janitor closet. He unlocked his phone and hit the number ‘2’, speed dialing Barnaby’s phone.

“What took you so long?” Barnaby’s voice sounded a tiny bit irritated. “I was worried that you actually couldn’t find your phone.”

“Oy, Bunny-chan!” Kotetsu said, shaking his head. “I’m sorry! I was in the bathroom when you rang. I didn’t think you’d appreciate listening to me-”

“Enough,” Barnaby interrupted. “Listen, did you feel like coming over tonight? I’ve got some stuff I’m working on and would appreciate your thoughts and input into it.”

He scratched the back of his neck, unsure of what to say. Before...before what had happened last night, he would have said ‘sure’ without hesitation. But he knew he needed to talk to Karina and would not just leave her after what just happened between the two of them. “I’d love to, but I’m in the middle of something right now. Can I maybe come over later? I’m not sure how late, though.”

“What are you in the middle of? I thought you said that Kaede was calling you. Is there something you’re not telling me about, ojii-san?”

Hearing the tone of his voice change as he addressed him by his own nickname rather than his given name made Kotetsu groan. “Bunny-chan, don’t be like that! It’s nothing! I’ve just got some stuff I need to take care of. How about I give you a call in a couple of hours? If you’re awake still, then I’ll come over.”

“Don’t bother,” Barnaby said, the huffiness in his tone returning. “Look, I’ll just see you at work tomorrow, okay? Have a nice night. Tell Kaede I said hello.”

“Bunny!” Kotetsu groaned, shaking his head. “Don’t be like this right now. I’ll call you in a little bit.”

“It’s fine. Do whatever you want. If I don’t pick up, it’s because I fell asleep. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Barnaby hung up the phone before Kotetsu could say something else.

“Tssch,” Kotetsu grumbled, letting his phone go into its locked position. “Stubborn brat.” He walked out of the janitor’s closet and headed back into the locker room. He saw that Karina had just stepped out of the shower, and was reaching for a towel. He walked over to where she stood and took the towel from her, wrapping it around her body. “Here, let me.” He smiled at her.

Karina blushed and tucked the fabric around her. “Arigato,” she spoke softly. “Is Barnaby-san alright?” She took the other towel she had grabbed and flipped her hair over, tying the towel around her hair and setting it on top of her head. “Do you have to go? We don’t have to talk, it’s fine.” She said in a rush, hating that was beginning to sound like _that_ girl. The needy girl. She didn’t need him. She knew she would be fine on her own.

“Karina, I’m not going anywhere. We most definitely need to talk.” Kotetsu said, a soft smile appearing on his face. “Now, what will make you feel more comfortable? With clothes on, or stay in our towels?”

She laughed at the absurdity of the question. “What??”

“Well,” Kotetsu grinned, placing a hand behind his head and leaning back. “ I mean, you can’t run away from me if we’re just in towels.”

Giggling, she nodded and sat down on the small bench. “Fine. We’ll stay in towels, since you’re afraid I’m going to run away.”

“You did this morning,” Kotetsu’s voice was quiet.

She took a deep breath. “I know...I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. I just...I didn’t know what to make of what happened last night. What did happen last night? Was it because of the champagne? Or was it something more?” She knew she was rushing her words, just like she had a moment ago, but she couldn’t slow herself down. “Kotetsu, you know that I like you. A lot. You have to know. Everyone knows. I’m always picked on because of it.”

“Karina-chan, take a deep breath.” Kotetsu said, placing a hand on her upper right arm. She closed her eyes and did as she was told, taking a deep breath. “Now, then. Let’s start at the beginning, shall we?” She opened her eyes and looked at him. “I know you like me a lot, Karina. I’d be an idiot if I didn’t see it. Before, I really didn’t pay any attention. But then....you started to become more mature. I could see it in the way you carry yourself.” She looked down, blushing, not quite sure how to respond to his compliments. He placed a hand on her face and tilted her head back up. “Please, I want to look at you when I tell you this.” She stared at him, dazed. “Karina, I...I like you. A lot. A lot more than I probably should, given our age difference. But...it doesn’t matter to me. I mean, if it doesn’t matter to you. I know that some others may have an issue with it, but who cares, right? This is about us. Not them.”

She almost passed out from the words he was saying to her. As if the night before hadn’t been bad enough, here he was, saying the things she had always dreamed of him saying. “This can’t be real,” she shook her head, focusing on his amber eyes. “Kotetsu, what you’re saying isn’t possible. No one every reciprocates feelings for me. Ever. Why do you think that that was my first kiss last night? My first everything?”

“Then, they’re idiots,” Kotetsu said, shaking his head. “I know that you deserve more than what I could give you. I guess what I’m saying is that I’d like for us to enjoy each other’s company.”

“You mean, be sex friends?” She asked, feeling her heart flip-flop at speaking exactly what she was thinking. _Can I do that? Can I allow myself to just be in a sexual relationship?_

He shook his head. “No, not at all. Not like the way you’re thinking. If you think I’m just going to call you and ask for you to go out with me, just to get laid, then no. That isn’t what I want to do. At all. I just meant that we’d keep our affair-”

“Affair?” She asked, her eyes widening.

He struck his forehead with the heal of his hand. “Aye, no! That isn’t what I meant either!” He groaned, shaking his head. “Look, I just know that I’ve been feeling like this for awhile. I had been wanting to do things with you before last night, however the opportunity never presented itself. Now, I wasn’t expecting it to go as far as it did last night, but we can’t really take that back now, can we?”

“No,” she shook her head. “We definitely can’t.” She took a deep breath. “Are you sorry that it happened?”

Kotetsu shook his head. “Karina-chan...of course not. Are you sorry that it happened?”

“Not at all.” She said, smiling. “I...I’m glad it did. I’m glad it was you.” She took the towel off of her head and let her damp hair fall down in soft waves. “I would never take that moment back.”

“Do you want to have more moments with me?” Kotetsu asked, scooting closer to her on the bench. “I understand if you’re not comfortable with it. We can just go slow and see where this all goes.”

She stood up from the bench and set herself down on his lap, straddling his toweled waist. “Do you really think that I want to go slow?” She smirked, wrapping her arms around his neck. “What’s the point of doing that, when we’ve already done what we’ve done?” She kissed his neck, drawing a low moan from him.

“Good point.” He placed his hands on her hips and leaned his head back, enjoying how her soft kisses were making him feel. “But...do we tell the others?”

She lifted her head. “Do you mean, do we tell Barnaby?” She giggled, knowing full well that that’s what he meant, without saying it directly.

“Hey, now...” Kotetsu said, shaking his head. “Did I say that?”

“You don’t have to,” she smirked. “I know what your friendship is like. It’s fine, Kotetsu. We don’t have to let anyone know. You’re right. It’s none of their business anyway.”

Opening his mouth to say something, Kotetsu was interrupted by the shrill tone of a phone ringing. Karina gasped and grabbed her phone, picking it up quickly. “Mom! I’m sorry. I didn’t realize how late it was!”

“It’s okay.” Kotetsu could hear her mother’s voice clearly through the voice, given the proximity he was in to her head. He debated about teasing her while she was on the phone but opted to just rest his chin on her shoulder.

She smiled, enjoying how the two tufts of hair on his chin felt against her naked shoulder, taking her back to a place she had been the night before. “I’ll be home in about a half hour. I just got finished working out at the Heroes training center.”

“Alright,” her mother said. “Just be safe coming home.”

“I will, mom.” She smiled. Hanging up the phone, Karina looked at Kotetsu. “I think that means I have to get home.” A blush crossed her cheeks. “Do you have plans tomorrow?”

The older man shook his head. “Not really. I had planned on seeing Kaede in the morning, but after that, nothing at all. Unless we get called in for an assignment, I’m free.”

“Maybe I’ll give you a call after school?” She slid off his lap and grabbed her clothes, slipping her panties on underneath her towel. Her towel dropped to the floor, exposing her breasts for a moment before she quickly covered them with her arms.

Standing up from the bench, Kotetsu walked over to her and gently lowered her arms. “Don’t be shy around me.” His tone was quiet, almost soothing. She relaxed her arms and allowed them to drop at her sides, her breasts fully exposed. “You’re beautiful,” Kotetsu said, leaning down to kiss her. She could feel her cheeks become warm once more, never knowing how to take a compliment when it was given to her. He pulled back and stroked her cheek. “Get dressed. I’ll ride home with you.”

The two of them got dressed in a companionable silence. She didn’t feel the need to fill the air with her nervous chatter, even though her heart was still going a mile a minute. Gathering her things, she waited until he was completely dressed again before heading to the doors back out to the training area. They walked to the elevator, still neither of them talking. Pushing the button, the elevator dinged, its doors opening. The two of them walked into it, Kotetsu pushing the button ‘L’ for the lobby.

As soon as the elevator began its descent, she turned and looked at him. “What was with that business in the elevator earlier today?”

“What?” Kotetsu asked, feigning innocence. “I have no idea what you are talking about, Blue Rose.” They both knew that if anyone had been watching, they would have questioned why he was calling her by anything other than her given Hero name.

Shaking her head, she giggled. “Fine. Be that way. I know what you were doing. You dirty old perverted man.”

“Hey now, I am not old!” Kotetsu said, grinning.

“Ah, but you are. You’ve already forgotten what you did earlier!” She giggled, stepping closer to where he was standing.

Reaching down, he placed his hand under her skirt, letting his fingers brush the line of her panties. “Oh? I somehow think that this is what I was doing before. Or maybe I’m wrong. Maybe it was this.” His hand slid between her legs, pushing gently against the dampness of her maidenhood. “Mmmm...” He bent his head and whispered into her ear. “Someone’s a little wet right now...”

Moaning, she moved closer to him, her body aching to feel more of his hand. “No, I’m not...” She let out a soft sigh as his finger found its way into her panty line. He reached over and hit the ‘Stop’ button of the elevator, bringing the lift to a stop.

“I think you are,” Kotetsu bit her earlobe, gently pushing his finger inside of her. “Mmmm....you definitely are.”

Gasping softly, she placed her hands on his shoulder to balance herself. “No...I’m not...”

Rotating his hand, his thumb brushed against the fold of skin that sheathed her pleasure spot. He rubbed it gently with the pad of his thumb, pushing his index finger further inside of her. “Karina...don’t deny it. You are turned on right now.”

“I....” She moaned as she leaned her head back. “You....you don’t know....what...”

He curved his index finger and began to wiggle it, making her cry out loud. “That’s it,” he whispered, kissing her neck, the stubble of his facial hair leaving small red marks on her neck. “Just let me take you away, Karina...”

“Oh....” The way her body was feeling, she didn’t know she if wanted him to stop. She began to feel her heart pound faster as he wiggled his finger inside of her, and the finger rubbing against her pleasure spot making her moan with every touch. She gripped his shoulder tightly and let out a loud cry as she felt her body shudder, an orgasm racing through  body.

“Yes,” Kotetsu groaned low, moving his fingers faster. “That’s it, Karina...fly for me...”

She kept moaning, unable to stop as his fingers were relentless. She felt the heat racing through her body again, her eyes snapping open as she let out a loud yell, coming hard almost immediately after just finishing her last orgasm. “Ahh!!!” She met his eyes, burning with a fierce passion she could feel racing through her own body.

“Mmm....that’s good,” Kotetsu said, keeping his eyes on hers. “Do you want to feel like that again..?”

All she could do was moan, keeping her eyes on his. She could feel her body, ready to give out, teetering so close to the edge. He moved his fingers back and forth, the pad of his thumb making her ache to feel more. He added his middle finger, moving it in and out, the two of them rocking their hips together, him pushing his fingers deeper inside of her, making sure that his thumb kept in constant contact with her pleasure spot. She let out a loud scream as she came a third time, unable to stop herself for being quiet, the pleasure was too intense. He moved his fingers in and out of her, enjoying how the walls of her maidenhood clenched around him.

Breathing hard, she loosened her grip on his shoulder as he pulled his fingers out and away from her. He leaned forward and pushed the ‘Stop’ button, allowing the lift to move once more. Kissing the side of her face, he smiled. “Now, just imagine what I can do to you with other parts of my body...”

She shivered, still trying to catch her breath. “I....I would love...to find out...”

The elevator dinged, opening on the lobby on a few moments later. Karina prayed that she looked relatively normal. But from the way she felt, it was anything but. Her body had never gone through that many successive orgasms, and she was barely walking normally. She watched as Kotetsu walked over to the guards station, that was empty at the moment. He quickly brought up the footage of what had just taken place, a bright blush crossing Karina’s face as she watched herself basically hump his hand. He quickly hit the delete button, erasing any evidence of what had taken place.

“So, cab?” Kotetsu said, smiling.

“Cab.” She nodded and headed out of the building, her body lighter than air. 


	5. Chapter 5

Walking down the steps that led down to the main street, Karina saw a few cabs parked at the curb. She sighed softly, wishing that they weren’t all parked there. Now there would be no excuse to spend more time with Kotetsu.

“Looks like we’re in luck!” Kotetsu said, bouncing next to her on the stairs. “Lots of cabs!”

She let out a soft sigh. “Right. Just our luck.” She headed over to the first cab in line. “So, I guess I’ll see you later?” Karina turned and looked at him.

“You don’t want to share a cab with me?” Kotetsu said, sadness crossing his face. “Okay, Karina-chan. I understand.”

Gasping, she shook her head. “No! I just thought you wouldn’t want to ride in a cab with me!” She stepped away from the door as Kotetsu opened it for her. “Arigato.” She climbed into the cab, bending down and sliding all the way across the seat.

“Why would I not want to?” Kotetsu said, climbing in. “I’ll even pay for the cab ride. Just tell the driver where you live.”

Doing as she was told, she gave the cab driver her address and they took off. She looked over at the older man sitting next to her, her heart still beating out of control from their escapade in the elevator. She felt the blood rush to her cheeks as Kotetsu brought the hand he had used on her and sniffed it. “Mmm...” Kotetsu said, grinning. “I must say, that was fun.”

“Must you?” She said, holding her bag tightly to her chest. “I mean, what if the cab driver hears you?” She looked over at the man who was driving, who was clearly in his own world, only paying attention to the road.

Kotetsu laughed. “Relax, Karina-chan.” He wrapped his arm around her and pulled him close to her. “Why are you so nervous right now? You must learn to relax around me, or this is going to be a very awkward relationship.”

“Relationship?” She spoke quietly. “Is that what this is? You said affair before. Now you’re saying relationship. Which is it, Kotetsu?”

The older man groaned and turned to look at the blossoming woman. “Listen, Karina. I made a mistake back there by saying that word. I tried to correct myself. Please don’t let that plague your thoughts tonight, okay? I like you. A lot. I’d like to take you out on a date tomorrow night, if I may?”

“Tomorrow?” Karina’s breath caught in her chest. “But...tomorrow is a school night.”

Kotetsu chuckled. “That didn’t stop you last night, young lady.” He bent his head and nuzzled her neck, making her become flush as she tried to bite back the soft moan that wanted to escape from her lips as she felt his breath on her neck. “Why don’t you want to go out with me tomorrow night?”

“Did I....ah....say that...?” A moan escaped as his lips made contact with her skin. “Kotetsu....you’re not being fair....” She leaned her head more to the side, giving him more of her neck should he want it.

He placed his hand on her thigh, slowly moving it upward. “I don’t hear you complaining, Karina-chan...” He moved his hand up higher as she subconsciously began to spread her legs a little bit more. “Did I ever tell you how much I enjoy you wearing skirts...?”

“R-Really...?” Karina’s voice was almost a whisper, her body electrified by Kotetsu’s hand and his mouth on her neck. She felt the cab coming to a stop and felt the man withdraw his hand and pulled away from her neck, making her whine softly. “See? Not fair at all.” She grumbled as the cab came to a stop in front of her house.

“I’ll make it up to you tomorrow, Karina-chan.” He placed a gentle kiss on her cheek, almost more of a friend kiss than a lover kiss. Karina pouted at the lack of emotion behind the kiss. Laughing, Kotetsu shook his head. “Don’t be like that. I don’t want your parents to think I’m some creepy old man.”

“Right...” Karina said, looking down. “I’m sorry. I’ll introduce you to them soon.” She watched as Kotetsu opened the door and hopped out of the cab, allowing her to exit. “Thank you.” She said, getting out of the cab. “I guess....I’ll talk to you tomorrow?”

Kotetsu took off his hat and bowed slightly. “Of course, Blue Rose. Thank you for allowing me to share a cab with you.” He saw that her parents were waiting at the front window. As he stood up, he had put his domino mask on his face, and saw their faces instantly relax when they saw who it was she was with.

“Uh...” Karina tilted her head to the side, unsure of why he had put his mask back on, and why he had just addressed her by her hero name. “I’ll see you later.” He raised his hand to his mouth, those same fingers he had used before, breathing in deeply as she blushed brightly. “Goodbye!” She quickly turned around and headed to her front door.

The older man got back into the cab and gave the cabbie directions on how to get to his house, while Karina walked through the already opened front door. Her mother looked at her and smiled. “That was nice of Tiger-san to share a cab with you. Did you pay for the ride?”

Karina shook her head, realizing just why he had put on that mask with her mother’s words. “I tried, Mom, but he wouldn’t accept it. He said that he felt safer if I took a cab home rather than public transit, with it being late and all.” She gave a small yawn. “I think I’m just going to head upstairs for the night, if that’s okay?”

Her mother nodded her head. “Of course, Karina. Go get some rest. We’re glad you’re home.” She gave her daughter a bright smile.

“Thanks, Mom.” She headed up the stairs, opening the door to her bedroom. Walking in, she dropped her book bag and purse on the floor, shutting the door behind her.

She looked around her room, smiling to herself. _Last time I was in here, I was still a virgin. Now...?_ She flopped onto her bed, smiling brightly to herself. She closed her eyes, enjoying how her soft bed felt. She could still feel Kotetsu’s hand on her thigh, making her shiver with desire. _Such a tease. I’ll show him_. She giggled and sat up, the blood rushing to her head from moving too fast. Standing up, she went and grabbed her cell phone and plugged it into its charger, which she kept right by her bedside. Getting undressed, she grabbed her silk nightie she liked to sleep in and slipped it over her head. Turning off her bedroom lights, she made her way back to her bed, familiar with the path, and flopped back down, this time underneath the sheet and blanket. Bundling up, she closed her eyes and did her best to allow sleep to claim her.

…

Sitting in the back of the cab, Kotetsu thanked the cab driver when they pulled up to his house and jumped out. He unlocked his front door and made his way inside, dropping his wallet and keys in a bowl that was set on a table next to the door. He looked at his living room and saw Karina’s water glass sitting on the coffee table, untouched since last night. Smiling to himself, he sat down on the couch and became comfortable.

Turning on the television, he pulled his phone out of his pocket and looked at it. A bit of sadness raced through him as he saw no new text or phone call. _Why did I think she’d text me? Stupid. I know she has to go to bed._ Shaking his head, he unlocked his phone and pressed the number 4 on his phone, the speed dial button for his less than optimistic partner.

“What.” Barnaby said on the fourth ring. “Why are you calling me so late?”

Kotetsu groaned. “Someone is still in a bad mood. What’s your deal, Bunny? I told you I’d give you a call once I got finished with my stuff.”

“Just _now_ you’re finished? Kotetsu, it’s after ten. You mean to tell me you’ve been on the phone with your daughter this entire time?” Barnaby’s voice was still laced with sarcasm.

Taking off his hat, he threw it onto the coffee table. “I’m sorry you wanted to hang out tonight, Bunny. But I had other things I needed to take care of. There’s no reason for you to be so rude to me, one of your only friends.”

“Don’t flatter yourself,” Barnaby said, scoffing into the phone. “You’re not my only friend.”

“Then why did you want me to hang out so badly tonight? Is it because you knew I had something else to do?” Kotetsu said, unbuttoning his vest before he untied his tie. “Does it bother you to know that I’ve got other things going on in my life right now? Is that where all this attitude is coming from?” He was becoming angrier the more he thought about it.

Barnaby sighed. “I’m tired, Kotetsu. I’m sorry. I’m not trying to have an attitude.”

“Yeah, well, you are. You seem to like to take things out on me. Normally, I don’t care. But right now, it’s not warranted. Why are you being like this?” Kotetsu said, setting his tie in his hat. “Did you really want me to come over there that bad? Because, I can call a cab and come over if it means that much to you.”

His partner took a deep breath on the other line. “No, it’s fine. I’m sorry, Kotetsu. I’m not trying to be a pest. I was just hoping to hang out tonight, that’s all. I was thinking about my parents and just didn’t feel like being alone.”

“Bunny-chan,” Kotetsu said, shaking his head. “Look. I’ll call a cab and come right over, okay?”

“Just get some sleep. I’ll see you tomorrow at work,” Barnaby said. “Thanks for the offer, but I’m okay now. Don’t worry about me, okay, ojii-san?” His voice took on a softer tone. “And you’re not my only friend. But you are my best friend.” Barnaby hung up.

Setting the phone down, Kotetsu sighed. “Way to make me feel guilty without even realizing it. Thanks, Bunny.” He began to flip through the channels as he laid down on the couch, trying to get comfortable. He was too tired to walk up the stairs and lay down in his bed. Looking up at the stairs, he could feel his bed calling to him. Groaning, he sat up and made his way lethargically up the stairs, his feet dragging up each step, almost comically.

Finally arriving at the top of his stairs, he made his way to his room. He saw his bedsheets, strewn about everywhere from the prior evenings activities. Memories flashed through his mind as he picked up the gold wrapper of the condom and threw it away in the trash. Taking off the rest of his clothes, he flopped down in his own bed, wearing just his boxer briefs. He turned over and inhaled Karina’s scent on the pillow she had used the night before. He smiled, happy with how things were turning out. _Even though we still haven’t established our perimeters yet. I have a feeling things could get a little nuts if we don’t do that soon._ He chuckled, turning off his bedside lamp. _Not that I’d complain. I’m surprised at how daring she is. I wonder..._ He closed his eyes as thoughts began to spin in his mind, but it seems that he was more tired than he had thought he was, and within moments had fallen fast asleep.

… 

The next morning dawned bright. Kotetsu groaned low as he heard a steady pounding coming from down below. He pulled his pillow over his head, hoping that it would drown out the noise of the pounding. However, wherever it was coming from, it was becoming louder and louder with each pound. Grumbling, he got up out of bed, stumbling a bit on the floor before righting himself. He walked over to the bedroom door and then realized that the pounding was actually coming from his front door. He grabbed his house robe and wrapped it around himself, trying to make sure he didn’t take a tumble down the stairs as he walked quickly.

“Hold on!” He yelled as the pounding continued. “I’m coming!” He reached the door and yanked it open. “What?!”

Barnaby pushed his glasses up on his nose and shook his head. “Did you just get out of bed, Kotetsu?”

“Bunny-chan?!” Kotetsu said, shaking his head. “Why were you just pounding on the door like that? I thought someone had died and needed to use the phone.” He yawned and stepped to the side of the door. “Why are you here so early?”

“Early?” Barnaby said. “Kotetsu, it’s after noon.”

His eyes widened in disbelief. “No....it can’t be! I thought I had set my alarm for 7!” He looked over at the clock on his microwave. In red digital numbers, it showed that the time was 12:45pm. “Oh....shit.”

“Don’t worry. I covered for you,” Barnaby said, taking a seat on the couch. “However, you had better get back upstairs and get dressed. We’ve got a meeting with Mr. Lloyds in forty-five minutes, so you had better hurry.”

Not waiting to listen to the rest of what Barnaby was saying, Kotetsu took off by the time he began to say ‘Don’t worry’. He raced up the stairs and headed into his bedroom, pulling out a fresh pair of slacks and button up green shirt from his closet. Having moved so fast, almost as if he were using his NEXT power, he didn’t hear the blonde had followed him up the stairs.

“What the hell happened in here?!” Barnaby asked, standing at the doorway.

Zipping up his pants, Kotetsu shrugged. “What do you mean? I’m normally messy.”

“Yeah...but this is more than normal, Kotetsu.” Barnaby said, crossing his arms over his chest. “Did....” His eyes widened. “Did you entertain someone here last night?”

“No!” Kotetsu said, shaking his head. Which was the truth, it had been the night before, but his partner didn’t need to be made aware of that just yet. Not with how much he was already laying on the guilt about being his best friend and all. He knew that the man would not be ready to learn about his new relationship with Karina. _Soon. I have to tell him soon, or this won’t end well at all._ He buttoned up his shirt. “Stop criticizing the way I live, Barnaby. I don’t make fun of your practically empty apartment.”

The blonde shook his head. “Why do I get the feeling you’re not being 100% honest with me, ojii-san?” He huffed a little, turning back around. “Fine. If you say you weren’t entertaining, you weren’t. But it sure looks like you were.” He sniffed the air. “And it kind of smells like sex in here. So, unless you were busy whacking off in here, I’m guessing you did have a lady friend over.”

Stuttering on his words, Kotetsu stared as Barnaby left the room, chuckling to himself. He threw his green shirt on, grabbed a pair of socks from his dresser, and made his way down the stairs. “Smells like sex?!?” Kotetsu said, struggling to put on his socks as he walked down the stairs. “Bunny-chan, I’m surprised at you!”

“What?” Barnaby said, standing over by the front door. “What are you surprised about?”

Kotetsu grabbed his tie, vest and hat, which he had left on the coffee table, and put them on as he walked over to the door. “That you know what sex smells like!” He laughed, slipped on his shoes and darted out his front door before his partner could retaliate back at him.

“Ojii-san,” Barnaby’s voice was quiet.

Before Kotetsu or Barnaby could say anything, both of their communicators rang, the green bracelet beginning to flash on Kotetsu’s right wrist. He could hear Barnaby cursing under his breath, probably upset because he wasn’t able to kill Kotetsu in the fashion he had wanted to. For once, Kotetsu was grateful for the inappropriate time of the call. Touching his wrist, he brought up Agnes.

“Bonjour, Heroes. There’s a heist taking place in downtown Sternbild. Kotetsu, Barnaby - Saito will meet you there with your suits. Blue Rose - your team will be waiting there as well. Check in with me again when you have all arrived there.” Agnes’ face disappeared from the screen, the call ending abruptly.

Seeing that Barnaby had brought the motorcycle, Kotetsu grinned and took his place on the left side of Barnaby. “Good thing you brought this to pick me up.”

“Right. Good thing.” Barnaby said, his voice still sounding off. Kotetsu slipped on his domino mask, not wanting others to find out who he was exactly. The two took off, heading towards the center of Sternbild.

Across the town, Karina had seen her blue wrist band begin to flash during the middle of a test. She looked up and saw her bearded teacher catch her eye. She held up her left wrist, the man already knowing of her ‘extracurricular’ activities. He gave a small nod of his head. She quickly grabbed her purse and left the classroom, not caring what the other students would say. She tapped her wrist and saw Agnes. She had already been in the middle of talking to everyone, _late as always_ , and felt her heart flutter when she began to speak of where they were going. “...Saito will meet you there with your suits. Blue Rose - your team will be waiting there as well. Check in with me again when you have all arrived there.” She watched Agnes sign off.

 _Oh, no. That means both Barnaby and Kotetsu will be there._ She shook her head, quickly hustling down the street. She saw the armored van from Titan Industry waiting just down the block for her. She hopped into it, setting her purse on a hook. “What’s the story?” She asked out loud as she began to dress into her hero outfit.

“There’s a heist taking place at the moment,” a disembodied voice came over the intercom. “It doesn’t appear to be a life-threatening situation, but they want all the Heroes there. Or, have all of you try for points.”

She tucked herself into her tight bodice. “Right. More like, it’s been super slow so we want you all to get face time if possible.” She groaned as the bodice wrapped to her body, formfitting to her every curve.

“Something like that,” the disembodied voice said. “We’re almost there. Are you ready?”

She placed the small hat onto her head, and made sure that her stockings were set. Placing her white gloves on her hand, grabbing her two liquid freezing guns, she holstered them in their proper place on her body. “Yep. I’m ready.” She said. Taking a deep breath, she heard her “music” begin to play, as the side of the van began to lower itself. Stepping out, she drew one of the guns from her side and leaned back on the motorbike. “My ice is a bit cold, but your crime has been put completely on hold!” She winked at the camera, sliding off of her bike.

“Oh! It’s Blue Rose!” The announcer for Hero TV shouted from the skies above. Shaking her head, she made her way over to the building where the heist, she assumed, was taking place.

Touching her wrist, she called Agnes, as per her instructions. “I’m here.” She said, looking at the blonde woman that was practically eating the headset that was on her head. “What am I to do?”

“Just try and get hostages out. Wild Tiger and Barnaby are already working on that, as well as trying to apprehend the men before they take off.” Agnes said. “If you feel like you’re trapped, you know what to do.”

Sighing, Karina nodded. “Yes, yes. I know.” She signed off and headed to the side of the building, where she saw Fire Emblem had burned a hole into a concrete wall. “Anything exciting going on?” She asked as she approached her friend, his fiery cape swaying in the gentle breeze that was being caused by the released air from the building.

“Not a lot, sweetie,” Nathan cooed, grinning at her. “Just get in there and grab yourself some points before those boys steal them all from you!”

She walked into what appeared to be a bank, and saw a row of people sitting on the ground, their hands behind their backs as men in masks were moving back and forth behind the teller counter. She got down on her hands and knees and crawled over to an elderly man, gently touching his arm so not to scare him. He turned, his eyes wide with relief.

“I’m here to help you.” She wrapped her arm around his, and gently pulled him towards the hole that Fire Emblem had set up. She heard cheers as she set him down outside of the building. She vaguely heard the sound of the announcer saying she had scored 150 points for rescuing an elderly person, but the sound was drowned out as both Barnaby and Wild Tiger brought the three perpetrators outside, having made a successful arrest. She groaned slightly as she saw both of their suits, hating that she wasn’t able to make the arrest herself.

“It’s all over!” The announcer said, the crowd cheering. “Barnaby Brooks Jr. and Wild Tiger have successfully apprehended the men! 400 points to each of them!”

Karina began to walk back towards her van when she felt something tug on one of her thorns. Turning, she saw Kotetsu standing there, his visor up, domino mask in place. “Oy! Blue Rose! Sad that you didn’t get to make the arrest?” The teasing tone in his voice made her heart begin to beat faster.

Rolling her eyes, she shook her head. “Please, like I’d ever be jealous of the likes of you! You were just lucky. I bet the real reason you got any points at all was because of your partner there.” She watched Barnaby walk over to them. “Am I right?” She crossed her arms, her decorative nails tapping the side of her arm.

“Hai,” Barnaby said, his visor up as well. “However, he did knock one of the guys out. Purely by accident, however.” He grinned at Karina, making the girl giggle softly, picturing the scenario perfectly in her mind.

“Oy! I’m right here, you know!” Kotetsu grumbled, shaking his head. “And it wasn’t an accident. I knew what I was doing. And it worked! Why are you so shocked?” He sighed and leaned on Karina’s shoulder. “Blue Rose...tell him he’s wrong.” Kotetsu whined playfully.

Taken aback by how forward Kotetsu was being, Karina felt her cheeks heat up. “Baka!” She cried, shaking her head. “I’m sure what you did was purely by accident. Since when have you ever successfully hit something? Hmm? I can’t recall a time. Even when you were on the second league, I can remember Agnes complaining that you never did anything right.”

“Gah!” Kotetsu said, shaking his head. “You both break my heart. Fine.” The man shook his head. “Bunny-chan, I’m going to ride back with Blue Rose here, since you seem to think all I do is make things happen by accident. I’d rather be with someone who already thought that before you came along.”

Barnaby stood there, shocked. “You can’t be serious. Her transporter is way too small. You want to be in your suit the entire way back to Apollon? Fine. Suit yourself, dumbass.” Barnaby said, turning around. “See you both back at headquarters. Karina-chan, feel free to punch him if you’d like.”

She stood there, unable to move from the shock of what had just happened. Kotetsu began to pull her towards her transporter. She stumbled a bit, but then regained her composure as the two of them made their way up into the van. As the sliding door closed, Karina spoke aloud. “Please leave me alone for the duration of the ride. No communication, no video.” She wanted to be perfectly clear that she wanted no spying on her at the moment.

“Understood, Blue Rose. I will let you know when we’re back at headquarters.” The disembodied voice said. Then all became silent.

Kotetsu took off his helmet and set it down on the tiny bench that was by the door. “I hope you don’t mind me just inviting myself on here with you.”

“Why...why would I mind?” Karina could feel the heat return to her face, knowing that she was trapped in the moving vehicle, with nowhere to run off to. 

The older man walked over to her, forcing her to press herself against the side of the wall. “You’re blushing, Karina-chan...” His voice became softer as he moved closer to her.

Closing her eyes, she leaned her head back against the wall. “No I’m not...”

“Do you know that when I got the call for this heist, all I could do was think about getting to see you again?” Kotetsu said, his lips brushing against the shell of her left ear. She let out a soft moan. “Can you tell me that you weren’t just a little bit excited to see me as well?”

“I....” She wished that he had been able to change out of his suit, for she wanted to feel his actual body press against hers rather than the cool metal of his power suit. “I wish you had changed!” She moaned, her inner monologue making its way out of her mouth.

He chuckled softly. “Someone wants to feel something, don’t they...?” His lips pressed against her exposed neck. “I love looking at you in your Hero costume, Karina-chan....so beautiful and voluptuous you are...It’s a wonder how I was able to get anything done. The moment I knew you were there, my entire focus was on you...”

“Kotetsu...” She placed her hands on his broad shoulders as his lips continued their dance against her neck.

He raised his head. “Shhh....no more talking.” He placed his lips over hers, silencing her with a soft kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck as best as she could, returning the kiss with fervor, hoping that they would run into traffic, making the car ride last longer than it should actually be.

…

* * *

 **A/N:** Do they run into traffic...? Guess we’ll find out soon enough! ^_^ Thanks for reading! 


	6. Chapter 6

As she was opening her mouth to deepen the kiss, the van stopped suddenly, causing both Karina and Kotetsu to topple onto the floor. Kotetsu was quick to get back up, as he knew that he had to have been crushing her under the weight of his suit.

“Karina-chan!” Kotetsu said, looking down at her. “Are you alright?”

Groaning, she nodded her head. Taking his offered hand, she stood up and brushed herself off. Looking up at the ceiling, she barked out, “Oy! What was that? Did we just get into an accident ourselves?”

“No, Blue Rose,” the disembodied voice said. “I didn’t mean to startle you that way. Are you alright? You did not hurt yourself with the sudden stop, did you?”

She rolled her eyes. “No, no. I’m fine back here. Can you tell me what’s happened?”

“There seems to be an accident up ahead. We’ll be stopped here for a bit.”

Kotetsu took this opportunity to take off his suit, pressing a button that was located beneath his chestplate, making it a lot easier to take off the pieces. He saw that Karina was watching him with wide eyes as he kept taking off piece by piece, setting them to the side, leaving him in just the tight black bodysuit that he wore underneath his suit. He smirked at her, doing his best to distract her from the conversation she was still carrying on with the person that was driving the van they were in. He thrust his hips forward, grinning as her eyes kept getting wider and wider.

“Please let me know when we’re moving again so I can brace for the motion,” Karina said, doing her best to control her voice. Watching Kotetsu strip out of his suit had been one thing, but now, staring at that very large bulge that was being thrusted towards her was making her forget how to speak properly. She glared at Kotetsu, knowing he was trying to get her to break. She shook her head, smirking.

“Yes, Blue Rose.” The disembodied voice said.

Looking up at the ceiling, she looked at a small hole that was there. “Please proceed with no more communication until we start moving again.”

“Of course.”

The van became quiet as Kotetsu began to make his way over to Karina, leaving his suit in a pile that was as out of the way as it could be. She found herself pressed back against the side of the van, the icy thorns of her suit acting as a soft cushion for herself. “What....what are you doing?” She whispered as she felt Kotetsu’s soft stubble begin to brush against her exposed neckline, his lips finding their way back to the spot they had been prior to their kiss that had them winding up on the floor.

“I thought you said you wished I had changed?” He wrapped his hand around her waist, pulling her closer to him. He let out a low groan as he felt her push against him with her hips. “Karina-chan...”

She felt her body respond to his touch, making her heart flutter faster when she thought about all the things the two of them could be doing with each other while stuck in the small van. She slipped out from under his arms and sat down on the small bench in the van. He turned around and looked at her, tilting his head to the side. She lifted her right hand and placed the tips of her gloved fingers at her lips, biting gently on each nail, pulling the glove off of her arm with her mouth. Kotetsu vocalized a soft moan, transfixed by her actions. Taking her other hand, she repeated the action, effectively removing the gloves, now completely bare handed. Standing up, she turned around, her back towards Kotetsu. Turning her head to the left, she looked behind her and looked into his amber eyes, giving him a soft smile. “Would you mind...helping me out of this?”

Taking two steps to get to where she stood, Kotetsu placed a hand on her lower back. “Of course I wouldn’t mind...” He kissed the back of her neck, looking down the front of her body. “Are you sure it’s safe to do this right now..?” He lifted his hand from the small of her back and placed it on her left breast, giving it a gentle squeeze. She moaned faintly, trying to press back against him, but those pesky thorns were making it impossible. She let out a frustrated groan, causing the older man to chuckle. “What’s the matter?”

“Thorns,” she whined, reaching behind to her to unhook them from her bodice. She felt one drop, and then made fast work of the second, listening as it dropped to the floor, finally making it possible for her to press against him. She arched her chest as her backside made contact with Kotetsu’s body, letting out a soft moan of appreciation.

He reached up and pulled the top of her bodice down, exposing both of her breasts to the air. She hissed as the cool air touched her. Reaching around, Kotetsu placed his other hand on her exposed breast, both of his hands holding her firmly. “Is this okay...?” The softness of his voice made her body shiver. She gave a nod of her head, just enjoying how his hands felt on her chest. Kotetsu casually moved his hands, cupping her with his palms. Karina let out a surprised gasp as he took both of her nipples between his index finger and thumb, lightly twisting them.

“Oh...” She moaned breathlessly as his fingers stopped pinching her. “Do that again...”

“What...?” Kotetsu asked, rubbing his chin along the side of her neck. “You mean....” He pinched her nipples again, a soft moan escaping past her lips once more. “Does that make you feel good, Karina-chan?” His lips caressed the shell of her ear, his breath making her skin break out into goosebumps.

She leaned her head back and arched into his hands. “Yes...Yes, Kotetsu...” She began to moan louder with each twist of his fingers. “Feels...so nice...”

His right hand wandered down her stomach, dipping underneath the bodice of Karina’s hero costume, his hands brushing against the soft curls that rested at the apex of her legs. He groaned low into her ear as he felt just how nice it felt. “Karina...” He slipped a finger into her folds, pinching her nipple with his other hand.

“Ahh...!” She cried out, pushing against his hand. “Kotetsu...!”

He leaned his back against the wall, pulling her with him to rest against his body. “Fuck, Karina....I wish...” He kept her close to his body, pushing himself against her, sliding his finger up to tease the soft skin that rested above her maidenhood.

“You wish....” She unconsciously spread her legs, her body aching to feel more. “What...?”

He groaned, watching her open up more for him. “I had a condom...” He rubbed the tip of his middle finger against her soft skin, groaning appreciatively as he felt what he had been searching for show itself to his fingers. “That’s a good girl...”

Karina let out a loud moan as she felt her stomach drop the moment his finger touched her. “Look....in my....purse....” The blood rushed through her body, making it almost impossible to hear anything, the only sound she could hear was her own heartbeat. “Oh please....please...”

Moving his finger faster, he switched the angle of his hand, pushing his middle finger deep inside of her as his thumb replaced where his finger had been. “I want to make you come first, Karina...Will you come for me...?” He nipped at the side of her neck. He hooked his middle finger, rubbing against her g-spot, as he moved his thumb in a circular motion.

“Yes!!” Karina shouted as she came, her body becoming flush as Kotetsu kept moving his fingers against her, making her body fly. She felt her body shudder hard as she came a second time, almost immediately following her first orgasm. Gripping onto Kotetsu’s leg as she kept coming, she couldn’t stop the moans that were falling from her lips.

As soon as she felt her body begin to relax, Kotetsu gently pulled his fingers out of her, groaning low. “Where’s your purse, Karina?”

Panting, she pointed over at the wall. “In...there...” She pointed to a small button, which must have been a hidden compartment in the wall.

He pulled away from her, but not before he kissed her softly. “Take off your suit, Karina. I’ve got an idea...” He walked the few steps over to where she had pointed and hit the small button, her purse rising up.

As he dug through the contents of her purse to find the prophylactic, she held on to the wall as she got undressed, leaving her costume in a heap on the floor. Reaching up, she unpinned her hat, setting it in the small nest she had made stepping out of her clothes. She slipped off her panties, standing completely naked.

“Aha!” Kotetsu cried out in victory as he had finally found the small item he had been searching for. He turned and held up his hand. “Found it!” He looked at her and gave her a broad smile. “Have I told you how beautiful you are?”

Blushing, she lowered her head and nodded. “Yes.”

“Karina-chan, there’s no need to be shy around me.” Kotetsu said, walking over to her. “Would you do me the favor of unzipping me?” He turned and offered her his back. Nodding, she raised her hand, wishing that it wouldn’t shake as much as it was, her nerves getting the better of her at the moment. Taking a deep breath, she pulled the zipper down, exposing his back. “Ah, thank you.” He turned around and peeled the bodysuit off.

She closed her eyes, not yet ready to see all of him. _Not like this. Soon._ She heard the sound of plastic tearing, figuring it was the condom wrapper being opened. “Did you want to help me?” Kotetsu asked, his voice quiet. She shook her head rapidly, knowing she was not ready for something like that. He let out a soft chuckle. “Karina, you know you’ll have to look at me eventually, yes? I mean, I don’t mind that you’re timid right now. But...I’d like for you to see all of me at some point.” She heard him slip the condom on himself and heard him sit down on the small bench.

“I know.” She opened her eyes and kept them focused on his amber eyes, which were full of desire for her. “I’m just....”

Kotetsu reached out and pulled her to him. “I know, sweetie. It’s a big step. Let’s not talk about that now, okay? Don’t worry. I know that when you’re ready, you’ll do what you want. For now, I’ll stay in charge. How’s that sound?” He tilted his head, smiling at her.

“I...I think that’s a good idea.” She looked at him. “How...How do you want me?”

He placed his hands on her hips. “Why don’t you sit on me?”

Taking a deep breath, she straddled his waist. “Like this?” She asked, keeping herself just a little bit away from his arousal.

“Perfect....except, you know...” Kotetsu said, chuckling.

Understanding, she moved a bit closer. Placing her hands on his shoulders, she lifted herself up and let out a soft moan as she felt the tip of his arousal push against her entrance. “This...better...?” Her voice was breathless once more, shocked at what she was doing. She had been hoping that this was going to happen, hence having the condom in her purse ‘just in case’. She kept the tip of his arousal just barely inside of her.

Kotetsu gripped her hips, groaning low. “Tease...”

“Never,” she whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck as she pushed him inside of her, letting herself slip all the way down his arousal.

He wrapped his arms around her body, holding her close to him. “Karina...” His voice was deeper, the sound of her name on his lips music to her ears.

Letting her instinct take over, she gently raised herself up and slipped back down, moaning at how deep he was inside of her. She rolled her hips, pushing him further in. Remembering what she had liked him doing to her the other night, she began to bounce gently on his lap, groaning as her body rubbed against his in the right way. She kept bouncing, moaning louder and louder as she felt him thrust harder into her body, making her feel like she hadn’t felt before. Leaning his head down, Kotetsu placed his mouth around her left breast, sucking on her nipple as she rocked against him. Digging her fingernails into his shoulders, she felt him begin to bite her nipple, sucking on it harder.

“Yes!!” She screamed, bouncing on his lap faster, moaning as the exquisite pain raced through her body as he sucked on her nipple, biting her. She felt her body begin to become flush, knowing that her third orgasm was almost upon her. “Kotetsu.....Kotetsu......Oh.....Oh.....OH!” Her voice cracked as she came, the pain and pleasure almost too much for her to handle.

Bucking his hips, Kotetsu lifted his head from her breast and began to kiss the side of her neck. “Karina....my beautiful Karina....” He groaned low as he reached his own climax, thrusting deep into her as he rode out his own orgasm.

“Was that...good...?” Karina asked, panting softly. She lifted her fingers, blushing a tiny bit. “Sorry...” She looked at the small crescent moons that were in his skin from where her nails had dug into him.

As he opened his mouth to speak, the both of them jolted as the van moved unexpectedly. Falling off of Kotetsu’s lap, both of them let out a groan at the loss of contact unexpectedly. “Oy!” She called out. “Are you there?” She didn’t hear a response back, grateful and annoyed at the same time. She walked over to where her purse was and hit another small button, which sent a transmission to the driver. “You can listen for a moment.”

“Yes, Blue Rose?”

She blushed as she saw Kotetsu look down and closed her eyes as she listened to him remove the condom. “Are we moving again?”

“Yes, Blue Rose. That’s why the car just moved. My apologies for not warning you, but you said you wished to be left alone.” The disembodied voice said.

“How long until we get back to headquarters?” She asked, walking back over to where she had left her costume.

There was a quiet pause. “About five minutes.”

Both Kotetsu and Karina looked at each other, their eyes wide. “Shit.” Kotetsu mouthed to her. She nodded, her feelings exactly the same. She grabbed her underwear and pulled it back on, trying her best to get dressed.

“Thank you. Please let me know when we get there?”

“Yes m’am. Should I discontinue listening and recording again?”

She nodded. “Yes, please. Thank you.” She heard the click of the communicator becoming silent. “We have to hurry!” She began to panic, trying her best to get dressed back into her costume.

“Relax, Karina,” Kotetsu said, slipping his bodysuit back on. “I’m more worried about me right now.”

She finished putting her bodice back on, doing her best to pin her hat in the exact same spot as it was before. “Oh? What’s wrong?”

“I need your help getting me back into my suit. Just a few pieces I need you to put on me. Then all should be fine.” Kotetsu said, running a hand through his shaggy tresses. “Just...don’t panic.”

Walking over to where he was, she picked up a few pieces of his suit. “How am I supposed to know where these go?” Her voice had become high-pitched, the hysteria evident in her voice. “Kotetsu!”

He turned and looked at her. “Karina-chan. I need you to breathe for me.” He held her face with his hands. Her tried to shake her head, but he held her face securely. “Breathe, Karina. Just a few deep breaths, okay?” His amber eyes shone with an unspoken emotion, Karina almost thinking she had imagined what she had seen there. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and just allowed her body to relax. “That’s good,” Kotetsu said. “Now, one more.” She took another deep breath, inhaling slowly and exhaling slow. “Alright. Now,” Kotetsu let go of her face. “The pieces you’re holding in your hand need to go on my legs. After that, the larger piece goes onto my chest. Then the rest should just fit into place.”

Working with the utmost care, Karina put the pieces back on him, watching as each piece began to adhere to itself, the mechanics of the suit working perfectly. She reached down and grabbed the breast plate, sticking it to his chest. After only a few minutes, Kotetsu was back in his mech suit, his domino mask back in place, as if nothing had ever happened. And not a moment too soon. As soon as he had his mask back in place, the disembodied voice came back over the intercom.

“We’re back at headquarters. I’ll be opening the van momentarily.”

“Arigato,” she said, her voice still sounding it a bit frazzled. She watched as Kotetsu grabbed his helmet and held it next to his side. The side of the van lowered, revealing the garage underneath Apollon Media’s building. She saw that Nathan’s car was parked in its spot, and noticed that all the others had already arrived. “Shall we go up there together?” She looked at Kotetsu. He nodded his head and moved to the side, allowing her to grab her purse from its place. She had a change of clothes up in the locker room, not caring that she was still in her costume.

The two of them headed to the elevator. Pushing the button with her now gloved hand, she heard Kotetsu let out a sigh. “What is it?” She asked, turning to look at him. The elevator dinged, the doors sliding open in front of her. She stepped into the lift, and waited for Kotetsu to enter before pushing the button for the top floor.

“Nothing,” Kotetsu said, resting against the back of the elevator. “I just wish we had had a little bit more time, that’s all.”

Turning to face him, she smiled. “Is that all?” He nodded his head. “I thought we had a date tonight?”

“You still want to go out?” Kotetsu asked, straightening up. “I mean, I’d have to take a shower. What about homework?”

She giggled. “Kotetsu, I left school early because of Agnes. I didn’t get to receive any. So, it’s not a big deal.”

“So, what you’re saying is, no homework?” He grinned at her, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Yes, that is what I am saying.” The elevator dinged on their floor.

“Why are you still in your costumes?!” Antonio exclaimed as the two of them walked into the heroes training facility.

She looked around and saw everyone was there, apparently waiting for their arrival. “Well, since Tiger wanted to ride with me, how was I supposed to change with him there?” She asked, rolling her eyes. “I’m going to get changed. Is there something going on?”

“Agnes wanted to talk to us about something, but she left. So, not really?” Keith said, resting against one of the weight machines. Ivan was sitting to the side of him, reading a magazine.

“Ah, okay.” She wandered back to the locker room, knowing that she could put her costume away and have it be back in her van for the next hero call.

While she was in the bathroom, Kotetsu saw that Barnaby was engaged in a conversation with Nathan, talking about who knows what. “I’ll be right back,” he said to no one in particular. Walking down the hallway, he walked into the lab of Saito.

The scientist’s mouth was moving, Kotetsu could clearly see that. “Eh? You must wear your hat when someone is in here.” He shook his head. “I can’t hear a word you’re saying.” He held up his hand to his ear, trying to listen to what the man was trying to say.

“Why are you still in your suit?” Saito asked, his voice becoming amplified with the hard hat he had placed on his head. “Did something malfunction in the transporter? Why did Barnaby come back and you were fine?”

Knowing that it was just the amplification and not the man actually yelling at him, it still caused Kotetsu to become on edge, hearing his voice. “I didn’t ride back with Barnaby. That’s why I’ve come to you. See if I can just change out of my suit in here.”

“That’s fine!” Saito shouted, nodding his head. Kotetsu shook his head and walked over to the wall, where a replica of the machine that was in their transporter sat. He groaned as the machine took the suit off of him, once more leaving him in his tight bodysuit. “Are you going now?”

The older man nodded his head. “Yeah. I’ve got a spare set of clothes at my desk.” He waved goodbye to the scientist, not waiting for him to shout at him again. He didn’t care that he was only in his body suit. Walking over to his desk, he bent down and retrieved the extra set of slacks and a green button up shirt and tie were.

“What took you two so long?”

Kotetsu let out a yelp as he heard Barnaby’s voice behind him. He crashed into his desk, groaning as his head hit the side. “Don’t go sneaking up on me like that Bunny-chan!” He rubbed his forehead, trying to make the pain subside.

“I didn’t sneak up on you. I said your name. It’s not my fault you weren’t paying attention to your surroundings. Now, what took you so long?” Barnaby asked, standing behind him with his arms crossed over his chest. “Everyone else made it here on time. Did you two decide to take a joy ride?”

He stood up and held his clothes to his chest. “Can I change first before we start on the inquisition? There was traffic. Not my fault. We didn’t cause it to happen. Whatever it was, it made us get stuck in traffic for....”

“Forty-five minutes?” Barnaby asked, his eyebrow raising. “Why did none of us get stuck in that traffic?”

“How am I supposed to know?” Kotetsu said, becoming a little bit frustrated. “Listen, Bunny-chan. You can ask her driver, or whoever it is that drives her company’s vehicle. We were in legitimate traffic.” He pushed passed him and made his way to the Heroes training room, where he ducked into the men’s locker room.

He got dressed into his spare clothes and walked back into the training facility, feeling much more at ease in his regular clothes. He looked around and saw that Karina had yet to come out of the bathroom. _I wonder if she’s okay? I hope I didn’t hurt her in the van._ He could still feel his heart race a little as he thought of what the two of them had just done. It had felt so nice to be back inside of her, the memory of what had happened playing out behind his closed eyes.

“Are you listening to me?” Barnaby asked him, suddenly appearing at his side.

Looking at his partner, he shook his head. “You have a knack for catching me in a daze. Sorry, Bunny-chan. What did you say?”

Barnaby shook his head and rolled his eyes. “I just asked if you wanted to go grab a bite to eat. That is, if Agnes doesn’t show back up and tell us we’ve got another mission tonight.”

“Can’t,” Kotetsu said, shrugging his shoulders. “I’ve got dinner plans.”

“Oh?” Barnaby asked, genuinely interested. “With who?”

“I asked Blue Rose to dinner. It was the least I could do. Having to be stuck with me in that small van, my stupid suit taking up most of the room. I felt I owed it to her.” _Never mind that my suit came off, as did hers, and lots of fun things happened. Hell, I bet you can smell her on me if you really put your mind to it, Bunny._ He did his best to keep the smile that wanted to appear on his face at bay.

Barnaby nodded his head. “That makes perfect sense to me. Would you mind if I tagged along?”

_Shit._ “Uh - I...I’d have to ask her. But I doubt she’d mind. Heck, everyone could come with us if they wanted to!” _Shiiiiiiiit._

“We’re going out to dinner?” Ivan asked, looking up from his magazine. “Did I just hear that right?”

“Dinner?” Keith said, standing up. “That sounds like a great idea!”

Karina walked out of the locker room, dressed in her yellow fringe dress, her beret balanced on the top of her head. She heard everyone talking at once. “What’s going on?”

“Tiger-san has just invited everyone to dinner,” Nathan cooed.

Her eyes widened. “What?” She looked over at her lover and saw his eyes on her, looking quite apologetic. She shook her head, trying to contain the anger that wanted to bubble up from inside of her. “Wonderful.”

“Sweetie,” Nathan said, pulling her to the side. “Did you know you have a rash on the side of your neck?”

Her hand slapped the side of her neck, making her blush. “I do?!” She squeaked, trying to think if Kotetsu had been kissing her neck in the van. _No...I don’t think it was that._

“Yes. And...it looks almost like it was caused by the stubble of a man’s beard.” Nathan said.

_Crap_. 


	7. Chapter 7

Kotetsu watched as Karina slapped her hand against her neck. _What is she doing that for?_ He could see that she was in a conversation with Nathan, almost positive the pink-haired man had remarked about something he saw there. _I thought I had been careful..._

“Ojii-san, are you paying attention?” Barnaby said, stepping in front of him, effectively blocking his view of Karina and Nathan. “We’re all leaving now. Where exactly are we going to?”

Adjusting the hat on his head, Kotetsu shrugged. “I hadn’t thought that far ahead. Um...the Italian restaurant a few blocks down from here?”

“Pizza?” Ivan said. “I think pizza sounds like a good idea.”

“Yes!” Keith said, smiling his high wattage smile. “Pizza is a great idea! Lots of choices for all of us. Come on!” He took Ivan’s hand and dragged him to the elevator.

Kotetsu rubbed his hands over his face, the situation beginning to spiral more and more out of his control. What he wanted to be a romantic, quiet dinner for their first date had somehow become a date with all of the Heroes. And now it was turning into pizza. He had hoped they could go to the steakhouse, but again, his plans had been foiled. He silently prayed that Karina wouldn’t be too upset with him. _But if she is...I know a way to make it up to her_. He looked at Barnaby and saw the man’s face expressionless. “What?”

“Nothing,” Barnaby said, shaking his head. “Are you coming?” He walked out of the room, following Ivan and Keith.

Nathan waltzed right by him, the man saying something under his breath. “Huh?” Kotetsu said, watching the effeminate man sway his hips. “What was that? I didn’t catch that.”

“Next time, try and be careful of this.” Nathan stroked his own chin before turning back around, twittering laughter as he headed to the elevator. Kotetsu groaned, shaking his head. He looked around and saw Karina was walking towards him, her face definitely not as happy as it had been a little while before.

He opened his mouth to say something, but her hand came up to his face. “Don’t. I don’t want to hear it right now.” She walked past him and shouted to the others, watching the elevator doors close on her before she was able to get there. “Wonderful.”

“Oy,” Kotetsu said, coming to stand next to her. “What do you mean ‘don’t’? What did I do wrong?” He took off his hat and ran a hand through his hair nervously, knowing just what he had done wrong, but he wanted to make sure that they were on the same page.

She slammed her hand into the ‘Down’ button for the elevator, pushing it repeatedly. “You cannot be serious right now, Kotetsu. You seriously don’t know why I’m just a little bit pissed off?”

“Karina....” Kotetsu said, shaking his hands. “I really don’t.”

Scoffing, she kept pushing the button, taking out her frustration on the smooth piece of plastic. “One. My neck. Nathan saw red marks on my neck, from _your_ stubble and put two and two together. Now, I don’t know if that makes you upset or not, and right now, I really don’t give a shit.” She kept pushing the button faster and faster, hoping that it would magically appear the more she pushed it. “Two. You invited everyone to dinner. EVERYONE!”

The elevator dinged, opening up in front of them. She got into the elevator and stood off to the side. Kotetsu groaned and walked in after her, pushing the button ‘L’ for the lobby. “Karina, that was a mistake. And really, it’s not my fault. If you want to be mad, be mad at Bunny. He’s the one that invited himself along with us. Then Ivan overheard, and from there it snowballed.”

“What?” She turned and looked at him. “This is Barnaby’s fault?”

Placing his hat back on his head, Kotetsu nodded. “Yes, that’s what I’m trying to tell you.” He moved closer to her. She began to walk backwards, then stopped suddenly when her back was pushed against the wall. “Why are you moving away from me?” He bent his head down, his lips inches from her ear. “Do you really think I care that Fire Emblem knows about us?”

“Y-you don’t?” She asked, her breath coming in short pants, unable to control herself. With him this close to her, thoughts of what they had done the last time they were in an elevator together raced through her mind. “B-But I thought you didn’t want anyone to know...”

Kotetsu looked into her auburn eyes. “When did I ever say that? I said that it might be better if we kept things to ourselves. I don’t care if the others know, Karina-chan.”

“Oh...” She looked up into his eyes. “Kotetsu...”

He gently pressed his lips against hers, kissing her softly. She closed her eyes and felt herself melt into the kiss, but before it went any further, he pulled away from her, much to her dismay.

“Gomennasai.” His voice was as soft as his kiss was. “I just didn’t want things to escalate too much.” The elevator dinged, signaling their arrival at the lobby. “Just in time.”

She pushed herself away from the wall and walked out of the elevator, feeling a little bit better than she had when she entered the lift. Now, instead of the anger, it had been replaced with her overexcited hormones. She held her purse close to her as she walked over to where the others were all waiting for them.

Running to keep up with her, Kotetsu skidded to a stop. “So, are we going to the Italian place for some pizza?”

“Yes!” Keith said. “Pizza! Yes!”

Kotetsu shook his head. “Oy, Sky High. Must you always repeat yourself?”

“Yes,” Ivan grumbled quietly. He zipped up his jacket. “You should hear how he speaks to his dog.”

Keith’s face crumbled a little. “John loves it.”

“Awww...” Nathan cooed. “You two are so cute. Come on. I’m hungry.” He grabbed Karina’s arm and pulled her with him. “Come with me, beautiful.”

She blushed deeply, unable to stop the man from dragging her. She looked back at Kotetsu and saw that he was watching her, while Barnaby seemed to be saying something to him. She gave a small shrug of her shoulders and allowed the effeminate man to pull her along. “Why are you dragging me?”

“Dragging? Oh, sweetie. To drag you, we’d have to paint your eyelids with bright blue eyeshadow and give you some very fabulous fake eyelashes.” Nathan chuckled, slowing down his gait to a more normal pace, allowing the others to keep up with them.

Karina shook her head. “You know what I meant, silly.” She giggled, thinking about herself as a drag queen made her head spin. “Have you ever done that?”

“Done what? Drag? Of course. I’m fabulous as a woman, my dear.” Nathan grinned. “But really. What’s going on with you and Tiger-san?”

“Why? Would it be so unfathomable that he may actually like me?” She asked, doing her best to keep the hurt out of her voice. But it was almost impossible. Even she was still having a difficult time accepting the situation. _I mean, I know we’ve done things, and each time it’s been more amazing. But...I’m terrified. What if I decide I’m not in the mood? Will he stop wanting to touch me because I’m no longer the willing, nubile girl?_

Nathan gave her arm a gentle squeeze. “You’re thinking about him right now, aren’t you? I can see that look in your eyes. Whatever you’re thinking, you should probably stop. I know that Tiger-san is not the brightest of the bunch, but he’s also got a very big heart. If you two are elevating your friendship to something else, then you can better believe he’s not just messing around.”

“How...How did you know?” She was shocked that he had already figured her out so quickly.

“It’s in your face,” Nathan laughed. “You’re like an open bookie, sweetie. If you want to keep your clandestine love affair quiet, try to have a better poker face.”

She pouted her lips a little. “It’s not clandestine.”

Back a few dozen feet, Kotetsu was fairing no better with his best friend. “Bunny-chan, why are you questioning me like this? I told you I had just invited her out to dinner because I felt bad.”

“Then why does she seem to blush every time she’s close to you?” Barnaby asked, pushing his glasses back up on the bridge of his nose. “It’s obvious she’s got a crush on you.”

Kotetsu groaned. “Well, duh, Bunny. Everyone knows that. We knew that before we went to the second league. What’s the big deal?”

“What’s the big deal? Ojii-san, you don’t want to lead the poor girl on. It’s not fair to her if you’re just playing with her heart.” Barnaby said.

_If you only knew_. “Yeah, well - thanks for your concern. If you didn’t remember, I’m a grown man. I can make my own decisions and I can fight my own battles. However, there’s no battle being fought here. It is just dinner between two friends. Well, now six friends. So, you should be happy that now everyone is going with us, instead of just her and I.”

“I am glad,” Barnaby huffed. “It seems like you keep being busy. I miss hanging out with my best friend. I miss having someone to talk to.”

Kotetsu stopped walking and looked at him. “Just because I’m a little bit busy right now doesn’t mean we stop being friends. I hope you know that.” And he meant what he said. He didn’t want Barnaby to think that with his new found sexual interest, well - Barnaby didn’t know it was sexual - it didn’t mean he was just going to abandon his friend. Even though all he wanted to do was just be with her, listen to her laugh, listen to her talk. He genuinely enjoyed her company, as much as he was hesitant to admit to it himself.

“Are you sure?” Barnaby asked, looking like a lost child. Kotetsu gave the man a small smile and nodded his head.

“Of course, Bunny.” He tended to forget that his young partner didn’t have very many friends, in fact, he had had no friends growing up. Just his maid, who had perished by the hand of the man that had raised him as a son. Barnaby had had a rough life, and it wasn’t fair of Kotetsu to keep forgetting that. However, he was his own man too, and needed to do his own things from time to time. Just because Barnaby was feeling a little put out didn’t mean that Kotetsu wasn’t enjoying his time just...living.

They had arrived at the pizza joint. It seemed that the place was in extremely packed and extremely busy. But thanks to Barnaby, and everyone knowing the face of the Stern Bild hero, they were able to get a booth in the back, away from most of the noise, yet still in the thick of things. Kotetsu looked around and saw that Karina and sat herself next to him and Barnaby, with Nathan on the left side of the blonde, and then Ivan and Keith were seated next to Kotetsu. They were missing two heroes, but neither Antonio or Pao-Ling had stuck around long enough at headquarters to find out what the others were doing. Kotetsu had thought about sending his friend a text, but then had seen how there was an even number of participants, and didn’t want anyone to feel left out. He picked up a menu and shook his head.

“I hope you guys know that we’re all pitching in tonight,” he said off-handedly. He had planned on paying for his and Karina’s portion, but did not feel like paying for everyone, especially after already paying for them to drink to their heart’s content a few night’s prior. _When everything began_.

Keith laughed jovially. “Of course, Tiger-san. We sort of all invited ourselves out with you tonight, so that makes perfect sense.”

Looking into her purse, Karina saw that she didn’t have any paper money on her. “Um...I may have to pay someone back this evening. I thought I had had money with me, but it looks like that I don’t.” She felt silly, being the only female, asking to have someone pay for her. She didn’t want the others to take her for some damsel. She liked earning her own money, singing at the bar when she could, earning tips the proper way. Unlike some, who enjoyed gambling on their outcome on Hero TV.

“Don’t worry, I’ll spot you,” Kotetsu said nonchalantly. He had intended on paying for her, so this made it even easier on him. “You can pay me back next time you see me.” He gave her a small smirk, causing her cheeks to become quite rosy.

She looked down. “Arigato, Tiger-san.”

“No problem, Blue Rose.” It felt weird to call her by that name. After calling her by her proper name the past few days, it felt more rehearsed to call her by her hero name. He always wanted to address her as Karina, but didn’t feel like making anyone question him. He saw Nathan catch his eye and give him a knowing smile. He groaned and put his hands on his lap, not wanting to do something silly.

Barnaby looked at Karina, holding a menu in his hands. “What do you think you’re going to get to eat, Karina?”

“I haven’t really decided. Maybe if everyone wants to go in on a pizza?” She had been looking at pizza, that was true. But at the moment, she was doing her best to keep her voice as steady as possible, thanks to someone’s wandering hand on her leg. She spread her legs a little as she felt Kotetsu’s left hand start to travel up her inner leg. “I mean, pizza does sound quite delicious. However, I am also partial to....” She almost let a soft moan escape from her throat as she felt his hand brush against her womanhood. She quickly closed her legs tightly, essentially trapping his hand there, unable to move.

“Yes?” Barnaby asked, quite interested in what she was going to say. Lucky for Kotetsu that Barnaby was focused on her, for if he wasn’t, and had looked at the older man, he would have seen Kotetsu’s eyes ablaze with panic.

She giggled as Kotetsu tried to struggle against the grip of her legs. “I’m also partial to pasta. I know, I know, the carbs aren’t that great. But hey, we work out a lot. And I dance a lot when I sing, so I like splurging every once in awhile.”

“Tiger-san? Are you alright?” Ivan asked, looking over at the man, who was still trying to pry his hand from Karina’s grasp.

He laughed and nodded his head. “Of course, Origami. Why would I not be?” He yanked his hand hard, hitting the table in the process. Luckily, there were no drinks yet on the table, so nothing of importance spilled. “Oy! Waitress!” He held up his hand to get their server’s attention, also to cover up his stupidity. He could hear Karina giggling, knowing full well what she was laughing about. _Oh, I’ll get you back, missy._

“Yes, sir?” Their waitress stood next to their table. “Were you ready to order?”

“I’d like to order two pitchers of beer for the table. House draft is fine,” Kotetsu said, nodding his head.

The waitress nodded. “Any appetizers to begin?”

“Some mozzarella sticks? And some of your garlic bread?” Barnaby asked, looking at the menu. “And perhaps an order or marinated mushrooms?”

The waitress’ eyes lit up as she saw Barnaby. “Of course, Mr. Brooks Jr. We can get that started right away for you.”

“And water for everyone at the table,” Karina asked politely. She wanted to drink, but she knew if she went home smelling like beer, her parents would probably have a thing or two to say to her.

“Of course.” The waitress walked away from their table, heading to the bar to grab the pitchers of beer and ice water for them.

Nathan looked at Barnaby. “Must be nice, Handsome.”

“What must be?” Barnaby asked, clearly confused by what Nathan was going to address. “Appetizers?”

The effeminate man laughed. “No, Handsome. Being recognized. I’m sure the reason we got a booth right away was thanks to you. And now, I’m sure our food is going to be the best that they can offer. It was clear that the girl knows who you are. I’m sure everyone in this joint knows your face.”

“How could they not? It’s plastered everywhere,” Kotetsu said, grinning. He didn’t mind that his partner was so popular. He rather enjoyed just staying in the background. The only two people he cared about knowing who he was already knew - his daughter and the blossoming woman sitting next to him. He placed his hands back underneath the table and set his left hand back on Karina’s leg, this time keeping it still. He looked at her with the corner of his eye and saw that a soft blush had made its appearance back on her cheeks, much to his chagrin.

Barnaby huffed. “Yes, well. Thanks to Mr. Maverick, who told me to just be myself, this is what I get. Sometimes it’s beneficial, but most times it’s just annoying.”

“Annoying?” Ivan asked. The waitress returned with their water and six frosted glasses for the beer that was surely coming. “I’m always in the background. I get annoyed that no one knows who I am.”

Barnaby smirked. “Ah, but you just answered your own question. If you made yourself more noticeable, you’ll be recognized. Well, that and you reveal your face to everyone.”

“No, thanks.” Ivan said, leaning into Keith, who had wrapped his arm around his small frame. “I like being in the background just fine.”

Keith smiled. “It’s not that bad. It’s nice to stay anonymous.”

The waitress returned with the two pitchers of beers. “Did you not want me to pour you any?” Kotetsu asked Karina, being discreet about it. She gave a small nod of her head and brought her water glass closer to herself. “No problem, Karina- _hime_.”

Hearing the title ‘princess’ made Karina’s heart melt, her breath stopping for a moment. Recovering as if nothing had happened, she looked at him and gave him a smile, not caring if anyone noticed or not. After her talk with Nathan, she knew she had to have a better poker face, but right now, right now she didn’t care all that much. She took a sip of her water, helping alleviate the blush she could still feel creeping across her cheeks.

“Are you ready to order?” The waitress asked. Before anyone could say anything, another server came out and put down all of the appetizers that had previously ordered.

Kotetsu cleared his throat. “I think we’d like one deluxe pizza, large.”

“Some chicken parmigiana,” Ivan said.

“Two,” Keith seconded his small companion.

“I’ll have an antipasto salad,” Nathan cooed.

“Alright. And for you, Mr Brooks, Jr?” The waitress asked, looking at him.

He pushed his hair back, his soft curls falling majestically. If Kotetsu didn’t know any better, he would think that Barnaby was trying to flirt with the poor waitress. Even if he wasn’t, she was buying it and was complete putty in the man’s hands. “I think I’ll have the eggplant parmigiana. Thank you.”

The waitress nodded her head and disappeared back to the kitchen.

“Everyone, please dig in.” Barnaby said, gesturing to all the food that laid before them. Without further ado, everyone dived into the appetizers.

The dinner went by rather smoothly, considering the amount of liquor that began to flow. After the two pitchers of beer, the others had continued on to  mixed drinks, save for Kotetsu. Karina watched him, impressed that after he had finished three beers, he had begun to drink water with her. _What’s the deal? I’m sure there’s a reason for that..._ She munched on slices of pizza, just enjoying listening to the boys banter with one another. It made it fun and entertaining, not having to participate.

After they had paid their bill, each contributing a sizable amount, they all stood up and left the restaurant together. When they headed outside, everyone began to drift their own way. Nathan pulled Karina to the side and gave her a quick hug. “Be safe, sweetie.” He kissed both of her cheeks and then pulled away from her. She nodded and gave him a small wave.

Ivan and Keith hailed a cab and went on their merry way together. Karina turned and observed both Barnaby and Kotetsu, the former speaking to the latter about something. She cleared her throat as she raised up her hand, hailing a taxi. Kotetsu looked over and her, and then Barnaby turned his head to look at her as well. “Did you need some money, Karina?” Barnaby asked as a cab came to a stop where she was standing.

“Um...” She didn’t know what to say. She did need cabfare to get home, but she also knew that she could probably get it when she returned home. Before she was able to say anything, Kotetsu had placed some money in her hand. “What’s this?” She asked, confused by his gesture.

Kotetsu scratched the back of his neck and grinned. “Can’t a guy pay for transportation? Just make sure you get home safely, _Blue Rose_.” She felt the heat return to her cheeks, listening to how the man said her name. “See you later?”

“Yes, see you both later.” She hopped into the cab and gave the cabbie instructions on how to get to her house.

“Are you heading home now?” Barnaby asked as he and Kotetsu began to walk down the street.

The older hero nodded his head. “I think so. I’m beat. I didn’t get much sleep last night - as you’re well aware. I think I may be coming down with something.”

“Is that why you laid off the beer?” Barnaby asked, smirking. “It’s not like you to limit yourself to only a few beers.”

Kotetsu shrugged. “Eh. I didn’t see the need to keep drinking. I’m glad that the others were enjoying themselves, but me? I’m quite pleasant at the moment. Any more, any less, I may not be. But right now, I’m good.” He raised his hand to call another cab. “Will you be heading home, my friend?”

“I think so. I was going to ask if you wanted to come over to hang out, but if you’re coming down with something, I really don’t think that would be in our best interest.” Barnaby was always a germaphobe, terrified that any little virus could end up killing him. It was one of his friend’s sillier neuroses.

Kotetsu chuckled. “You’re always so worried, Bunny-chan. Just learn to relax, will you? I’m not dying. I think I’m just super tired. More sleep should do the trick.”

“Just don’t sleep in like you did today,” Barnaby said, shaking his head. “I need my partner. I don’t want Mr. Lloyds to find a reason to sack you.”

Now it was Kotetsu’s turn to scoff. “Like he would ever.” A cab stopped in front of him. “You sure you don’t mind me going home?”

“No, of course not.” Barnaby said. “Get some rest, Ojii-san.”

He hopped into the cab and rolled down the window. “Call me if you need anything, okay? I’ll turn my ringer on high.”

“I won’t bug you. See you tomorrow,” Barnaby said, giving him a small smile. Kotetsu grinned and sat back in the seat.

After he told the cabbie where he lived, he pulled out his cell phone and pulled up Karina’s telephone number. He opened up their messages and began to type.

Karina let out a soft gasp as she heard her phone vibrate right next to her head. Grabbing it from her nightstand, her room already pitch black, the screen temporarily blinded her. She had gotten home only a few moments before and had just taken off all her clothes and collapsed in the bed, exhaustion finally taking its toll.

_“What are you doing?”_ She giggled at her lover’s simple question. _“I’m trying to go to sleep. What are you doing? Are you still with Barnaby-san?”_

He smirked at her reply. _“Wouldn’t you like that? I bet you dream of him and I kissing each other.”_

Squeaking, Karina shook her head, furiously typing. _“Ew! No! Never. I rather like imagining you kissing me, thank you very much.”_

_“Well, I suppose that’s alright then. So, you didn’t answer me. What are you doing?”_ He paid the cab driver and walked up the steps to his house. Unlocking his door, he patiently awaited a return text.

Fumbling a little with the keyboard, Karina got settled back underneath her covers, typing away. _“I told you, I’m trying to go to sleep. But if you keep texting me, that will never happen.”_

Taking off his hat and tie, setting them both on the coffee table - as was his nightly ritual - he made his way lethargically up the stairs. Once he stripped out of his clothes, he got settled under his own blankets, holding the phone with one hand. _“Do you really want me to stop texting you?”_

_“What are my other choices?”_ Karina giggled quietly, not wanting to let her parents know that she was still awake.

Kotetsu lingered on the button to call her, but decided it would probably be best to alert her first. _“Is the ringer on your phone off? If it isn’t, turn it off.”_  

Curious, she made sure that her phone was on silent. _“Alright. I turned it to be on silent. Why did I just do that?”_  She stared at her screen, not quite sure what Kotetsu had wanted.

He pushed the button to call, the phone ringing quietly into his ear. “Hello?” Karina whispered, sending a shiver through Kotetsu’s spine.

“Karina,” his voice was soft, yet the timbre was rich.

She felt the blood begin to rush through her body, making certain parts of her body become more awake than others. “Why...Why are you calling me this late?”

“Do you not want to talk to me?” Kotetsu asked, feigning innocence. “I just wanted to hear the sound of your voice once more before I fell asleep.”

Blushing, Karina held the phone close to her ear. “I didn’t say I didn’t want to talk to you, Kotetsu. I just...I didn’t expect you to call.”

“Well, Karina-chan, if I had my way, you’d be laying next to me right now instead of laying in your bed.” Kotetsu let out a soft sigh, enjoying the breathless moan he had extracted from her. “Would you like that?”

Karina spoke softly. “Of course I would like that, Kotetsu. But I had to come home.”

“What about Friday night? Can you come stay with me then?” He didn’t want to pressure her, but he also wanted to have her say yes. He really wanted to feel her in his arms again, this time in a bed, nice and proper. Not in a van or an elevator.

She nodded her head, then realized she was talking to him on the phone. “Yes, I think I can manage that. I’ll just ask my girlfriend to cover for me again. She was so happy to do so the other night.” She felt herself becoming turned on as thoughts of her laying back in his arms danced through her mind.

“What are you thinking about?” Kotetsu asked.

“You,” Karina replied, a bit breathless.

He let out a soft groan as he lowered his right hand to be resting close to his hardening arousal. “What about me...?”

She felt her heart begin to beat faster as she thought about what to say. Taking a deep breath, she decided to just go with it, and if he laughed at her, then so be it. She had heard the other girls talking about how they liked to have relations over the phone. There was a certain thrill to it, they had told her. And now, as she held the phone against her ear, she understood why. “Your...your hands on my body...”

Kotetsu moaned low into the phone as he wrapped his hand around his arousal. “And what are my hands doing to you, Karina...?”

“Touching me...Touching me as I touch you...” She felt her face become flush. “Kotetsu...are you touching yourself right now?”

Stroking himself slowly, he let out a low moan. “I am...Are you?” His voice had become husky, sending shivers through her body as she listened to him.

“I...”

“Don’t be afraid, Karina-chan...It’s just me. You can touch yourself...in fact, you can pretend I’m not even hear. I’ll be quiet, if that makes you feel more at ease...” Kotetsu groaned low, still pleasuring himself.

Throwing caution to the wind, she placed her fingers against her body. “Kotetsu....I....I’ve never done this before...”

“Just listen to my voice,” Kotetsu said, picturing her in her bed as he moved his hand up and down. “Rub your fingers in a circle for me...”

Doing what he said, she began to rub her fingers gently, moaning softly. “Oh....” She closed her eyes, dipping her hand a little lower to gather some of the moisture that was there, had been there since he had begun talking to her. She moved her fingers back up, her body electrified. “Kotetsu....I wish....”

Listening to her moan was pushing him closer and closer to the edge. “You wish...?” He gripped himself tighter, trying to hold off releasing until she brought herself to climax.

“I....I....ah...” She cried out softly as she quickly brought herself to orgasm, her body trembling as she moaned, enjoying how her body felt after her release. She heard her lover groan low as he met his release only moments after hers. Panting softly, she removed her hand, wiping off her fingers on the side of her bed. “Kotetsu...”

He grabbed a few tissues and wiped off his hand and stomach, listening to her soft breaths come through the receiver of his phone. “Rest, sweet Karina. And don’t forget - we’ve got a proper date this Friday. No one will accidentally be invited this time. I’ll tape my mouth shut if that’s what I have to do.”

“Liar...” She giggled softly, her voice still a bit breathless. “Okay...I think I’m going to go and pass out now.”

Kotetsu chuckled softly. “You sound so cute, Karina-chan. Sweet dreams.”

She was already asleep, her soft snores music to his ears. He hung up, hoping the next few days would pass quickly.

…

* * *

**A/N:** Let’s see if they actually have a proper date. ^_^ Thanks for reading!


	8. Chapter 8

The rest of the week seemed to drag by. No other incidents had happened the rest of the week, leaving Karina stuck at school, having to actually do her work. On Thursday night, she had decided to escape to the bar where she worked, needing a source of release. Through her texts back and forth to Kotetsu, she had mentioned where she was planning on being for the night.

“ _What are you up to tonight?_ ” Kotetsu had asked her. “ _I’m singing at the bar. I need to get out of my house._ ” She sighed, looking at the text. “ _Sounds like fun. Are we still on for tomorrow night?”_ Kotetsu’s question about the next night had made the hairs on her neck stand up, her body tingling with excitement. “ _Depends.”_ She giggled, knowing that would bother him. “ _Depends?! Karina-chan...don’t be mean. >.<_” She burst out laughing. “ _Relax. We’re still on. I’ll see you at my house around 7:30?”_ Her heart began to beat faster, hoping that she hadn’t gotten the time wrong, or had pushed him too far. “ _7:30. Enjoy your night singing. :-*”_ She giggled when the kiss emoticon came up on her phone. She didn’t bother replying, figuring he wanted to have the last word.

Part of her had hoped that he would show up to watch her sing, but then another part of her hoped he wouldn’t show up. To sing without knowing he was there was a lot easier than thinking that he may be there. She put her phone down and began to get ready, wanting to look her best not because of him or the thought of him showing up, but because she enjoyed dressing up.

She walked out and sat at the piano, introducing herself. She had begun to sing a fun, peppy song to warm up the crowd. Turning her head out towards the patrons, she saw that not only was Kotetsu sitting out in the crowd, but his partner was sitting there with him. Catching Barnaby’s eye, she felt her heart clench in her chest, but made sure to keep her face as it had been before, turning back to look at the open grand piano.

“Ojii-san, is that...?” Barnaby asked, shaking his head. “No, it couldn’t be. She’s too young to sing here.”

Kotetsu blushed, grateful that the club was dark. “If you’re wondering if that’s Blue Rose, you’d be correct. And she’s been singing here for a couple of years. Obviously they don’t care if she’s old enough or not.”

Karina kept singing, trying to make her nerves calm down. She always hated singing in front of people she knew. It didn’t bother her that Barnaby was there. Hell, all the Heroes could be there and she wouldn’t care. Except for Kotetsu. It had never bothered her before when he would show up, but now...now that things were a little bit different between the two of them, she became completely self-conscious. She closed her eyes, just allowing the music to flow through her, instead of her racing mind telling her to look back over at the two of them.

“Do you watch her sing often?” Barnaby said, sipping his tonic water. Kotetsu picked up his soju, the ice clinking against the sides of his glass.

Taking a sip of his drink, Kotetsu shrugged. “I’ve been known to come here with Antonio, if that’s what you’re asking.” He kept his eyes on Karina, listening to the way the words escaped her throat, loving how her soft and pure her voice was.

“So why did you bring me?” Barnaby said, watching her.

Kotetsu turned and looked at him. “You wanted to hang out tonight. She sent out a text to all of us letting us know she was singing here tonight, so I thought it would be nice to go and support her.”

“I didn’t receive a text.” Barnaby reached into his leather jacket and pulled out his phone, flipping it open. “No, I don’t see anything at all from her.”

Groaning, Kotetsu pulled out his phone. “I swear she sent it to everyone. I don’t know why you’re not on there, Bunny.” He knew that he was lying, but there wasn’t anything to stop it. He hoped that if Barnaby brought it up to her, she’d go along with it. He sipped more of his drink before putting his phone back into his pocket, not wanting his partner to see the other texts that he had exchanged with the singer up on the stage. Who, as luck would have it, seemed to be finished with her first set. Setting his drink down on their small table, he began to join the other patrons in applauding her.

She walked off the stage and made her way to the bar, grabbing a glass of ice water from the bar tender. Looking over at the two Heroes, she took a deep breath and wandered over to their table. “Hi boys. Nice to see a couple of familiar faces out there tonight.” She sat down in a chair, her back to the stage.

“Thanks for inviting us!” Kotetsu said before Barnaby could say anything. “Sorry that there aren’t more of us here.” He looked into her eyes, begging her to go along with what he was saying rather than question him. Her eyes widened briefly before going back to their normal size, nodding her head in agreement.

“I figured it would be nice to invite you all out to see me sing, rather than just see ‘Blue Rose’ sing.” Karina blushed, looking at the table. “Have you two been here for long?”

“We watched your whole set,” Barnaby said, picking up his tonic water. “I must say, you have a very lovely voice, Miss Lyle.”

Blushing, she looked him in the eyes. “You don’t have to be so formal. You can call me by my Hero name, or just call me Karina.”

“Karina, then.” Barnaby said, raising his glass. “To your beautiful voice.”

She raised her glass up, clinking it against the blonde’s. “Arigato.”

Watching the two of them, Kotetsu was silently fuming. _What gives? Why does he get to call her that and I can’t?_ He finished his drink and held it up, rattling the ice in his glass to get the waitress’ attention. She quickly came over and took the empty glass from him, promising to bring him back another. “Make it a double,” he said to her, grumbling softly.

“Are you alright, Ojii-san?” Barnaby asked, looking at him as he pushed his glasses back up on his nose. “You seem to have become....volatile.”

“Hah!” Kotetsu shook his head, grinning. “What? Me? Volatile?? No, I’m fine, Bunny-chan.” He bit his lower lip as he felt Karina’s hand suddenly on his thigh. He sat back in his seat and adjusted his newsboy cap. “So, Blue Rose - are you doing another set soon?”

She let her fingers play upon his leg while she thought of her answer. “I am, but I don’t have to be back up on the stage for another fifteen minutes. I like that they don’t pressure me too much to get back up there. They allow me to rest my voice for a little bit.” She gave a gentle squeeze, watching his reaction.

“O-Oh...That’s good.” Kotetsu groaned, her hand beginning to wander up further. He sat up straight in his chair and scooted closer to the table, not allowing anyone to see what was happening.

Barnaby narrowed his eyes briefly, then looked back at Karina. “Isn’t tonight a school night? It’s Thursday, yes?”

“It is,” Karina nodded her head. “However, our school is only open for a half day tomorrow. I told my parents I was coming here. I just needed to get out of the house. I mean,” she lowered her voice, “we haven’t been called out for anything since that heist a few days ago.” Her fingers had somehow found their way between Kotetsu’s legs, brushing against the small mound that was there.

The waitress set down Kotetsu’s drink, which he quickly grabbed and took a large sip from before embarrassing himself by moaning at what the young vixen next to him was doing to his body. He swallowed the drink, closing his eyes as he let the alcohol burn down his throat. He opened his eyes when she removed her hand from his arousal.

“It is rather odd that it’s been quiet,” Barnaby nodded his head. “But I’m glad to hear that you have another way of releasing your energy. It would be good if Kotetsu could do that as well.”

Kotetsu choked on the ice he was chewing on. “What?! What’s that supposed to mean, Bunny?”

“That you need to find a way to release your stress. You don’t have a girlfriend. You don’t have a hobby you actively participate in. You sit at home and reminisce about the golden days. You need to get out more.” Barnaby set his tonic water down.

Before Kotetsu or Karina would say anything to defend Kotetsu, a petite woman came over to their table. “Excuse me....but...are you Barnaby Brooks, Jr?” She asked, her voice high pitched and nasally.

“I am,” Barnaby said, nodding his head. “Why do you ask?”

The girl started to squeal and bounce up and down. “Ooh! Would you mind signing this for me? You’re my favorite hero!”

He took the offered magazine, the newest edition of ‘Hero Monthly’, which had him in his pink mech suit. “I would not mind at all.”

As Barnaby was busy talking to the rabid fan, Karina turned and spoke quietly to Kotetsu. “So, you don’t have a girlfriend? Color me surprised.”

“Karina-chan,” Kotetsu’s voice carried the soft whine, even though his voice was barely above a whisper. “I figured I was going to make it official tomorrow night when we go out!”

She glared at him, crossing her arms over her chest. “You’re lying. All we’re doing is just going back and forth with dirty texts, and thrilling adventures in vans and elevators this past week.”

“I’m not!” Kotetsu said, taking off his cap. “And besides, are you telling me you haven’t been enjoying that?”

Feeling a blush creep up onto her face, she pushed her chair back. “I’ll come back and see you two after my final set.” She finished her glass of water and walked back over to the stage, not bothering to give Kotetsu an answer. They both knew that she had and was thoroughly enjoying what they were doing, even if she was too shy or scared to admit it. She saw that the annoying girl had left Barnaby’s side just as she was walking up the stage. Sitting down at the piano, the bartender lowered the music from the jukebox, letting her have everyone’s ear, should they want to listen. She began her set with another peppy number, focusing on the keys of the keyboard, rather than on the man she knew was watching her every move.

“She seems a little off,” Barnaby said, tilting his head. “I don’t know what it is, but she’s definitely in a different mood than she was before.”

Putting his cap back on his head, Kotetsu shrugged. “I’m sure she’s fine. Did you want to stick around until the end of her set?” He finished the double shot of soju, and set his glass back on the table. “It doesn’t matter to me, Bunny-chan.”

“I would like to stay, if that’s alright? I enjoy listening to her sing.” Barnaby nodded, watching her. Kotetsu felt his heart twist as he looked at Barnaby watching her. _Am I jealous? Is that what this pain is? But...why would I be jealous? She’s doing things with me, not him. Wait. Maybe it’s because they’re closer in age. Maybe she would rather be with him than me. Huh. I always figured he was not into girls, but maybe that’s not the case. What if I don’t ask her to be my girlfriend tomorrow? Will she go and flock to his arms instead? Will she use her newly discovered sexual prowess and use it on him?_

He stood up quickly, almost knocking over his chair in the process. “Ojii-san?” Barnaby asked, an eyebrow raised up in question. He shook his head and dashed to the bathroom, ignoring the looks he knew he was getting from his partner. He walked into the bathroom and checked the stalls. Once he saw that he was alone in there, he locked the door.

Karina kept singing, but was constantly aware of what her lover was doing. She saw him stand up quickly after Barnaby had said something to him. _What could he have said?_ She shook her head with the appropriate lyric, and kept on with her performance. Karina wanted to just jump off the stage and run after him, but after Barnaby’s quip about him not having a girlfriend, she knew she was in no place to do just that.

In the bathroom, Kotetsu was becoming more and more agitated at himself, tricking himself into believing that Barnaby was secretly lusting after the girl up on the stage, rather than being in love with someone else. He didn’t know why it was bothering him so much. _Perhaps because you know what you’d lose if she left you for him? Admit it, you really do like her._ He grumbled at his inner monologue, hating that what his head was telling him was exactly what his heart was saying. He hadn’t been lying to her when he had said he was going to ask her to be his girlfriend tomorrow. As the week had gone on, he had become used to her flirty texts back and forth with him. She was all he thought about 99% of the day. The other 1% was left for work and other mundane things in his life.

Looking at himself in the mirror, he saw an old, pathetic man. _Ojii-san, indeed. How can she even think I’m cute?_ He ran his right hand over his chin, feeling the short stubble rub against his skin. He sighed, more and more doubts filling his head. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath and exhaled, trying to push all the negative thoughts aside. He walked over to the door and unlocked it, heading back out into the bar. He heard people applauding, signaling that it was the end of Karina’s set for the night. Taking off his cap once more, he ran a hand through his hair, unsure of what was about to happen. He watched as she walked off the stage and walked back over to the table they had been sitting at. Now, it was just Barnaby.

“Where’d he go?” Karina asked, sitting back down at the table. “He didn’t leave, did he?”

Barnaby shook his head. “No, I don’t think so. We rode together on our bikes, so I would assume he is still here.” He turned around, his blonde hair flipping over his shoulder. “Ah, there he is.”

Kotetsu walked back over to the table. “Sorry I missed your last set, Blue Rose.” He plopped his cap back on his head as he sat back down at the table. “I wasn’t feeling so well.”

“Oh? Are you alright?” Her voice was laced with concern, making his heart hammer louder in his chest. “Did you need some medicine?” She picked up her purse and began to rifle through its contents.

The older man chuckled. “No, it’s fine. Are you heading home now? Or did you have another set?”

“No, I’m done for the night. My ride should be here in a few minutes.” Karina said, nodding. She looked at Barnaby. “It was nice of you to come tonight. I hope you enjoyed it.” She gave him a small smile, Kotetsu’s thoughts instantly turning to horrible scenarios in his mind. Scenarios of the two of them in throes of passion, moaning as they moved together. He closed his eyes and shook his head, trying to clear his mind once more. “I guess I’ll see you two later?” She looked him in the eye, hoping that that goodbye would be enough for him.

“See you,” Kotetsu said, nodding his head. He gave her his own soft smile, hoping that he wasn’t acting like too much of ass as he was feeling. He watched her walk to the front door and out of the building. He looked over at Barnaby and saw him staring at him. “What?” The tone of his voice was sharp, making him groan at himself. “Sorry, Bunny-chan.”

Barnaby shook his head and stood up. “It’s fine. Are you ready to go home now, Ojii-san?”

“I suppose so.”

The ride back to her house was a quiet one. Karina’s mother was babbling on about the dinner date she had just had with some of her girlfriends. She kept her phone in her hands, wondering when Kotetsu was going to text her. She wanted to send him a text, but didn’t want him to be in a situation with Barnaby, and he somehow got into trouble. Karina was always terrified that she was going to say the wrong thing at the wrong time, or interrupt him while he was with his daughter or busy doing some adult thing.

“Are you listening to me, Karina?” Her mother asked her as they pulled into their driveway.

Putting her phone back in her purse, Karina nodded. “Of course, Mother. I’m sorry. I was just thinking about my last set. That’s all. Sounds like the night wasn’t as fantastic for you either, huh?”

“Are you sure you’re okay, sweetie?” Her mother touched her forehead. “Oh, you’re a little bit warm. Why don’t you go get into bed? I’ll bring you up a nice warm glass of milk.”

She stepped into her house and gave a small nod. “That sounds nice. Thank you. I think I’m just tired. It’s been a long week.” _A very long week. Hopefully to be followed by a very nice, relaxing weekend._ She walked up the small flight of stairs and wandered into her bedroom. She took her phone out of her purse and flopped down on her bed, staring at its blank screen, seeing no flashing light at the top. _Still no texts. Why do I even care?_

Across town, Barnaby was trying to get Kotetsu to stay at his apartment by luring him with liquor. As much as it sounded wonderful, Kotetsu kept refusing him politely. “Thank you, Bunny-chan, but I’m extremely tired right now. I still don’t feel good. Whatever I ate before we went to the club has really upset my stomach. I think I’m just going to head home.” He could feel the weight of his phone in his pant pocket, a constant reminder that no one was texting him.

“Fine. But you owe me a night of drinking, Kotetsu.” Barnaby’s words were a tad slurred, as he had begun to drink the offered beer. Barnaby never liked drinking out in public, said it would ‘ruin the image that people have of me’. Kotetsu never bothered to bug him about it. If that was what the man wanted to do, he would respect it. “Go. I can tell you don’t want to be here anyway.”

Kotetsu walked over to the front door. “It’s not that I don’t want to drink with you, Bunny. It’s just that I’m super tired and don’t feel good at all. I’ll see you tomorrow at work?”

“Hai,” Barnaby was already engrossed in something he was reading on his computer, paying him no more attention. Kotetsu slipped out of the apartment and made his way to the elevator.

He pulled his phone out of his pant pocket and saw that there were no texts still. Grumbling to himself, he slid his phone to be in an unlocked position and brought up the last text he had received from Karina. _Five hours ago. Really?? Five hours?!_ He sighed, hating that he wasn’t being texted by her. He pulled up his keyboard and began to type.

Her mother had just left her room when Karina’s phone vibrated. Her heart began to beat faster, her pulse beginning to quicken as she picked up her phone. She let out a loud sigh of relief and sank back into her pillows as she read the text. “ _Why haven’t you texted me yet?_ ” She giggled at how demanding he sounded, even over a text.

“ _I didn’t want to bother you. I don’t know what you do, Kotetsu. I just wait for you to text me, that way I know it’s safe._ ”

Kotetsu slapped his hand against his forehead, understanding dawning. “ _That makes perfect sense. Then I apologize for my rudeness. We’re still on for tomorrow night, yes?_ ”

“ _Of course we are. I’ve been looking forward to it all week. You’ll be coming to my house to pick me up, yes?_ ”

He walked out to his bike. “ _What about your parents? How are you going to introduce me?_ ”

“ _They won’t be home. I’ll introduce you after I turn 18._ ”

He barked out a laugh, a simple euphoria racing through his body. “ _Probably a wise idea. Alright. Then I’ll see you at 7:30?_ ”

“ _7:30. Good night, Kotetsu. Sweet dreams._ ”

Sitting down on his bike, he sent her one last text. “ _If you’re in them, they’ll be more than sweet. I’ll see you tomorrow. :-*_ ”

She sighed softly as she set her phone down. Turning off her bedside lamp, she closed her eyes. Karina felt a lot better, now that he had finally reached out to her. She hoped that sleep would claim her fast.

…

“You want me to lie again?” Emily asked her after their classed ended for the day. “Karina-chan...are you going to go out with that same man again?”

Karina had never told either of her friends what, or who, she had gone out with earlier in the week, and had only asked them to cover for her. She shook her head as she looked at her friend. “I’m not going out with any guy. I’m just going out and doing things on my own.”

“And that’s why you need her to lie. Right.” Jane said, shaking her head. “Just tell us you’re going out with a boy. It makes it sound so much cooler.”

She rolled her eyes. “Fine. I’m going out with a boy. And we’re going away somewhere tonight, so I need you to cover for me today, as well as most of the day tomorrow. I’ve told my parents I’ll be back home late tomorrow night.” She looked at both of her friends. “Please...if I send you a text tomorrow saying I’ll be telling my parents I’m staying the night again, just go with it. I’ll buy you both something awesome. I promise.”

Karina really didn’t know what was going to happen this weekend, but she wanted to be ready for anything. She figured if she told her friends that there was a possibility of it extending to more than just one night, she’d rather they be clued in than surprised.

“It’s fine,” Emily said. “Just be safe, okay? We don’t want you getting all pregnant and stuff.”

Blushing deeply, Karina shook her head. “No, no. It’s not like that. But, thank you for your concern. I’ll be sure to be safe.” She gave both her friends tight hugs. “You both are the best girlfriends anyone could have. Thank you.”

“You better text us and let us know what’s going on. We want full details.” Jane said, smirking.

She began to walk over to her mother’s car. “Of course!” She opened the car door. “See you guys later tonight!” She waved her hand and got into the car.

“How was school, sweetie?” Her mother asked as she drove off into traffic.

Holding her book bag on her lap, Karina shrugged. “I’m glad it’s the weekend?”

“Me too. Your father and I will be leaving right when I get you home. You’ll be staying at Emily’s tonight?” Her mother looked at the road, not bothering to look at her.

She nodded her head. “Hai. And okay. I hope you guys have fun. Hey, mom? If we’re having lots of fun, would it be okay if I stayed another night?”

“Sure, honey. That’s fine with me. I doubt your father would care.” They pulled up into their driveway. Her dad was already waiting out front with two suitcases. Karina got out of the car after giving her mother a kiss on the cheek. She did the same to her dad as he swapped places with her in the car.

“Have fun, kitten!” Her dad said, tossing the bags into the backseat of the car. “Don’t do anything wild and crazy, okay?” He sat in the car. “You know where to reach us if anything should come up.”

She smiled and gave a small nod of her head. “Yes, dad. Don’t worry. You two go and have fun. I’ll see you later.” She waved goodbye to the both of them and watched as they drove off down the street.

Heading into the house, she set her book bag down on the ground. She didn’t feel like dragging it up to her bedroom. She opted for just heading upstairs. Going into her room, she opened her closet and saw the dress that she had bought after school on Wednesday. It was a light pink dress, which accentuated all the right parts of her body. She pulled it out and laid it down on the bed, grabbing her pair of white high-heeled sandals. The weather was warm outside, and wasn’t expected to go very low. Over by her door was the overnight bag she had packed, having packed enough clean clothes for two nights away, if necessary. Grabbing her towel, she headed into her bathroom.

After taking a long, hot shower, Karina began to dry her hair. Going through the motions, making sure that every piece of her hair cooperated with her in the way she wanted it to, she set her hair into hot rollers. She began to put on some make-up, making sure to draw attention to her eyes. She loved it when Kotetsu looked her in the eyes. Hell, she loved everything about it. 

She finished getting ready, pulling the rollers out of her hair. Her long hair fell into soft waves around her shoulders, framing her face nicely. She took out her new pink lace bra and panty set from the sexy undergarment store and slipped them on her body. Picking up her slip, she pulled it over her head, and then put her dress on last. Smoothing it out, she took a look at herself in her mirror, pleased with the innocence, yet a small degree of sexiness, that the dress seemed to give her. She slipped on her heels and grabbed her overnight bag and purse, and headed by down to her living room.

At precisely 7:29, the doorbell rang in her house. Standing up, she walked over to the door. “Who is it?” She said, just wanting to be safe.

“I hope you know who it is.” The timbre of Kotetsu’s voice made chills race up her spine. She opened the door and stood to the side.

“Of course I know who you are.” She let out a soft, nervous giggle. She gasped as Kotetsu handed her a bouquet of roses. “Flowers?!” She squealed, deliriously happy that he had bought flowers for her.

Kotetsu nodded and grinned. “Nothing but the best for you.” He looked her over. “My goodness, Karina. You look stunningly radiant in that dress.”

“Arigato.” She sniffed her flowers and smiled. “Let me go put these in water, and then we can go, alright?”

Kotetsu stepped into the house and closed the door. “Sounds good to me. I hope you like them.”

“Oh, I do. These are absolutely perfect. I’ve never received flowers before!” She giggled and walked into the kitchen. She grabbed a vase and filled it halfway with water, before sticking the bouquet in it. She fluffed the flowers out and left it sitting on the counter. She smiled at Kotetsu. “Thank you so much. Really.”

He walked over to her and placed a soft kiss on the side of her face. “Thank you for gracing me with your presence tonight. Are you ready to go?”

“I am,” she replied breathlessly. She walked over to the front door and picked up her overnight bag and her purse. “I hope there’s a car?”

“There is, indeed.” Kotetsu took the overnight bag from her hand. “Let’s go.” He opened the front door and began to walk to the car that was parked in front of her house.

She took her key and locked up, the butterflies in her stomach beginning to flutter around faster and faster. “Yes, let’s.” She took a deep breath and made her way to the car.

…

* * *

**A/N:** Karina sure likes to be prepared. Up next - date night. And then some. ^_^ Thanks for reading!


	9. Chapter 9

She walked over to the car, surprised at how...shiny it was. “Kotetsu?” He had put her bag in the trunk of the car, and was now walking to open the passenger door for her.

“Yes?” He asked, stepping to the side to let her in.

Taking a seat as gracefully as she could in her dress, she looked up at him. “How long have you had this car?”

“A few years. Why?” He asked. “Hold that thought.” He grinned and closed the door, walking back around to his side of the car. She buckled in and turned to face him, her purse on her lap. He opened the door and slid in next to her. “Why do you ask?”

Trying not to fidget, she gave a small shrug. “I’ve just never seen you drive a car before, that’s all.”

“Well, I was figuring you were probably going to be dressing nice tonight. And I wanted this to be about the two of us tonight. No one else.” He took her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing the back of her hand gently. “If I had brought the motorcycle, I would have had to wear my mask the entire night.” He released her hand, yet still kept his eyes locked on hers. “I wanted you to be with me, Kotetsu, tonight. Not Wild Tiger.”

Her heart began to beat as fast as a jack hammer striking cement. “Kotetsu...I...”

“Let’s go, shall we?” He let out a soft laugh, pleased with how she was stunned by his response. He had meant it. He didn’t want anything to go wrong tonight. After their tumultuous week, he was hoping, praying for a quiet night. “Do you want to go to dinner right now, or would you rather go and drop off your stuff at my place?”

She thought about it. _If we have a few drinks, am I going to want to carry that stuff up the stairs?_ “Let’s go drop it off at your place.” She nodded her head.

Starting the car, he nodded. “You got it.”

They sat in comfortable silence, heading towards his house. “Where will be dining tonight?” She asked, making casual conversion.

“It’s a surprise,” Kotetsu turned to look at her, wiggling his eyebrows. She giggled and shook her head. “What?”

“Nothing,” she replied with a smile.

They pulled up to his house. “Why don’t you wait here? I can take care of this. I’m just going to run it up to my room.” He smiled and kept the car running as he exited the car, not giving her the chance to protest. He reached around the mailbox and grabbed his hidden key, quickly opening the door. He dashed inside and ran up the small flight of stairs, dropping off her bag in his room. He ran back down the stairs, taking two at a time. He walked out of the house and locked up, keeping the spare key in his pants pocket. “I wasn’t gone too long, was I?” He asked as he slid back into the driver’s seat.

“No,” Karina shook her head. “You know, we didn’t have to do make this extra stop.” She blushed as she looked at her feet.

Kotetsu placed a hand on her leg. “Nonsense. It makes it that much easier when we get home, yes?” He gave her a small smile, which she returned in kind. “How do you feel about Italian food?”

“Oooh...” She nodded her head. “That sounds wonderful.”

The rest of the drive was pretty quiet, the two of them just listening to the songs that came up on the radio. Karina felt her cheeks begin to grow warm when a song that her sponsor, Suntory, had said they would start broadcasting soon, came up on the radio. Kotetsu let out a surprised gasp.

“Karina! That’s you!” He pulled up to the restaurant that he had wanted to take her to. “I can’t believe it!”

Blushing, she took her clutch and held it in her hands. “It’s nothing. It’s not even that good of a song. They could have used anything, but they chose this crappy pop tune.” She smiled at the man who had opened her door for her, as Kotetsu had chosen to valet his car. “Arigato,” she said, making sure to not show the man too much of herself.

Kotetsu appeared at her side and took her arm and hooked it with his own. “Nonsense. I think it sounds marvelous. Don’t go and get all famous on me now, okay?” He bent down and placed a soft kiss near her ear. “I don’t want you to go away just yet.”

“I...I won’t...” She could feel her entire body float as she heard his admission to her. She felt all tingly as the words echoed through her brain. She hadn’t realized they were already walking towards their private table until she was asked to sit down. “Hmm?” She looked around and, recognizing where they were, took a seat in the chair that had been pulled out for her by Kotetsu. “Arigato.”

Kotetsu sat across from her and smiled. “You’re most welcome. Thank you for coming out with me this evening.”

The waiter brought them two menus and a wine list. Kotetsu pointed to something on the menu, asking for a bottle and two glasses. The man bowed and took off, going to fetch the preferred wine. Looking over the menu, Karina felt her insides twist. “Kotetsu...this place is expensive!” The plain pasta dish, with just meat sauce, was $15 Stern dollars.

“It is not. Order whatever you’d like. I’ve asked for them to bring us my favorite white wine. I hope you’ll partake in some?”

Karina smiled and nodded. “I would love to.” She looked back at her menu. “Kotetsu?”

“Hmm?” He asked, looking at his own menu. “What is it, Karina-chan?”

Looking up, she met his gaze. “May I ask why you brought Barnaby-san to my show last night?” The question she had been dying to ask him finally came out.

The waiter set down two glasses and poured a small amount into Kotetsu’s glass, offering it to him to sample. Picking up his glass, he sniffed the offered liquid and took a sip. “This is fine.” He set his glass back down, allowing the waiter to fill both glasses. “Please give us a few more minutes?” The waiter nodded and bowed, stepping away from their private area.

Picking up her wine, she let the question linger, for she did not want to say anything else until she heard his answer. She raised her glass and smiled as Kotetsu took his own and clinked it against hers.

“The reason I brought him with me is because we were already hanging out when you sent me the next of where you were at.” He raised the glass to his lips and swallowed a small amount of liquid down. “I figured that you wouldn’t mind if I brought someone with me. Tell me...did it make you upset?”

Karina blushed and took a sip of her own wine. “Do you want me to tell you the truth or what you want to hear?”

“The truth,” Kotetsu said, setting his glass back on the table. “I would appreciate it if you always gave me the truth, Karina.” His timbre had turned serious.

“I’m always serious with you, Kotetsu,” she said, smiling softly. “I haven’t ever lied to you.” She took one more sip before setting her glass back down. “I....I was a little perturbed at seeing him there with you, yes.” Her voice was soft.

He shook his head. “Why? There’s no reason for you to be upset by that, Karina. I didn’t want to just ditch him, even though I would have rather have spent my evening with you rather than him. But I had promised to hang out with him, and when you told me you’d be singing, I thought it would be a perfect time to go out and see you.”

“Why weren’t you around during my last set?” Karina asked.

With impeccable timing, the waiter came back to their table to take their order. They both ordered two pasta dishes, and some garlic bread to nosh on while they waited for their order to arrive. The waiter bowed and left them once more. Kotetsu sighed and took off his hat, running a hand through his hair nervously. “Do you want the truth?”

“If you want me to only tell you the truth, then yes. I would like the truth from you as well.” She picked up her wine glass and took another sip. “Seems only fair.”

Kotetsu nodded his head. “That is true. It is only fair.” He took a deep breath. “Promise you won’t be upset with me?”

“Why would I be upset with you?” She asked, clearly confused by his question. “I don’t understand what you’re saying.”

He let out a small sigh. “I was jealous, okay? I was jealous of the things that were in my mind.”

“In your _mind_?! What do you mean??” Karina asked, shocked by his admission that he was jealous.

Picking up his wine, he gave a small shrug. “Barnaby said he enjoyed hearing you sing, so I took that as he wanted to seduce you.”

“What?!” She couldn’t keep the volume out of her voice. “You think he wants to sleep with me?!” She was flabbergasted. “Kotetsu, I think you’re mistaken. There’s no way he could ever want to sleep with me.”

Kotetsu sighed. “I know. That’s why I said before that I made it all up in my mind. I know he doesn’t like you that way. He was only being nice. He said you had a nice voice. But...Karina, I’m so paranoid. I figured that you might like him more than me.” He picked up his wine and took a large sip. “I mean, remember when we went out at the beginning of the week? I teased you about him.”

“Yes, I remember,” she nodded her head. “But, that was just it. It was you teasing me. I don’t like him, nor do I think he likes me in that way. We just work together, when necessary.” She sipped her own wine and grabbed a bread stick, which had just been set down on the table.

His shoulders slumped in defeat. “Forgive me? I....It’s so difficult for me to believe that you honestly want to be with an old man like me.”

“You’re not old,” Karina scoffed. “If you keep saying that, I’ll make you old. I’ll put grey hairs on that lovely scalp of yours.” She reached over and took his hand in hers. “Kotetsu, you know that I like you. I always have. This....what we’re doing? It’s been a fantasy of mine for so long. It’s...It’s rather difficult for me to accept that this is all actually happening.”

He nodded his head. “I understand, Karina.”

The waiter returned with both of their plates of food and set it down for them. “Will there be anything else?” The two of them shook their head. “Very well. Please enjoy.” The waiter took off, as the two of them picked up their forks and began to dig into their plates.

Eating half of her meal, Karina placed her napkin on the table. “Finished already?” Kotetsu asked, both of his eyebrows raised.

“I...” She blushed, looking down at her plate. “Would it be okay if I took it to go? I...My stomach is all in knots right now.

Slipping his hand under the table, he touched her bare knee. “You’ve no reason to be nervous right now, Karina.” His voice took on a soft tone, hoping it would help her relax. He felt the minimal tension leave her leg. “How about we just get the check and get out of here?” He removed his hand and placed it back on the table.

“We don’t have to,” Karina shook her head. “Did you not want to get any dessert?”

He chuckled. “Didn’t you just ask to take your dinner to go?”

“I did...but...” Karina said, blushing a little.

Kotetsu gave her a small smile. “How about we see how we feel later? Maybe we can get some dessert on the way back to my place?”

Her heart fluttered faster as he spoke about going back to his place. _This is really happening. I mean, I know we’re out to eat, but I’m actually spending the night. Like, planned. Oh gosh. I’m going to die._ She nodded her head rapidly, too afraid to speak. “Cat got your tongue, Karina-chan?” Kotetsu teased her. Feeling more and more heat race to her cheeks, she shook her head again. He barked out a laugh.

The waiter came back over to their table. “Are you all finished, miss?” He looked at her.

“May I please get this to go?” She asked. The waiter nodded and picked her up plate.

“Will this be all for you?”

Kotetsu nodded. “Yes. May we please have the check?”

The waiter set a black leather folio down on the table. “I’ll take this when you’re ready.” He disappeared, carrying both Kotetsu’s empty plate and Karina’s back to the kitchen.

Taking out his wallet, Kotetsu dropped some money into the folio and closed it up. The waiter brought back Karina’s food and set it on the table. “All set, sir?” He asked, picking up the folio.

“Yes. No change needed. Thank you,” Kotetsu said, standing up. The waiter bowed and retreated, leaving Kotetsu and Karina alone once more. Kotetsu walked over to her seat and pulled back her chair for her. “Shall we go?”

Standing up, Karina felt lighter than air. “Of course.” She smoothed out her dress and took Kotetsu’s offered arm, enjoying the looks they were getting as they walked towards the exit. Most gave them gracious smiles, but there were a few girls that seemed to be bothered by her, which only made her smile grow in size.

“What’s so funny?” Kotetsu asked, opening the door for her.

She giggled and shook her head. “Nothing. I just...girls make me laugh, that’s all.”

“Oh?” Kotetsu said, handing over his valet ticket. The attendant left in a rush to get his car. “Why do you say that?”

Tucking some of her hair behind her ear, Karina smirked. “Some of the looks I was getting, it makes me giggle how angry some of these girls get. They don’t even know me!”

“They’re just jealous,” Kotetsu said, wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her close to them. Kissing the side of her neck, enjoying how she felt in his arms, he whispered, “Can you blame them? You’re a stunning woman, Karina.”

She melted into his arms, loving the attention he was showering her with. It felt weird to be so affectionate in public, after hiding behind closed doors for most of the week. She wrapped her arms around his neck, turning her face up to his. “Do you really think so?” She batted her eyelashes, playing coy.

“I know so...” Kotetsu’s voice rumbled in his chest. Closing her eyes, she let out a soft moan as his lips made contact with hers, her spine tingling as she heard him groan low. She parted her mouth slightly, hugging herself closer to him as they kept their kiss light, bordering on passionate. She blushed as she heard a wolf whistle to the side of them. A car honked, making her pull away from him. “We’ll continue soon,” Kotetsu spoke into her ear before letting her go.

The valet opened the door for her, and she quickly got in, fixing her dress so that it did not show the audience they had gathered anything important. She sank into the seat and buckled herself in, holding her purse in her lap. Kotetsu got into the car next to her and flashed her a big smile. “Ready to go?” She nodded her head, and they took off out of the parking lot.

“Karina,” Kotetsu said, driving safely through the traffic. “May I ask you a question?”

She kept her gaze on the skyline of Sternbild. “Hai,” she nodded her head, curious as to what he was going to ask her.

“Did you....um...gosh, what’s the best way to say this. Um...did you...”

Turning in her seat, she looked at him and saw that he was clearly confused. “Did I what, Kotetsu?”

“Did you mind that I kissed you back there? I mean, I know we haven’t made anything official yet, so I hope I wasn’t overstepping my boundaries. But, I mean, I’m going to ask you to be my girlfriend, I just don’t know when the right time is.”

She gasped, then burst out laughing. “Kotetsu, do you realize what you just said??”

“Oh.....” He thought about it for a moment, and then let out a groan. “Shit. I just basically asked you to by my girlfriend, didn’t I?”

Leaning over, she placed a kiss on his right cheek. “You did. And that was the perfect way to ask me. So, I guess this is where I say yes, I’ll be your girlfriend?”

They came to a stoplight. Kotetsu turned and looked at her. “Really? This mean....this means we should tell the others.”

“You mean, the Heroes?” Karina asked.

The light changed to green. “Hai,” Kotetsu said, taking off. “I think...I think that it’s important.”

“How about we worry about that later?” Karina said, smiling to herself. That lighter than air feeling had returned ten-fold. She pulled out her phone to send a text to her friends.

_“Holy shit!!”_ Jane had sent back to her, making her giggle like a school girl. Emily was just as verbose, telling her to _“Use protection this weekend!!”_ She burst out laughing, grateful for her friends.

“What’s so funny over there?” Kotetsu said, chuckling at the sound of her laughter. “You making fun of me?”

Karina shook her head. “Not at all, Kotetsu. Oh, and by the way...”

“Yes?” Kotetsu said, watching the road.

“I didn’t tell you this before, as I didn’t know how serious you wanted to be, but since it seems like you’re wanting to be in a relationship with me....Well....um....” She felt the heat begin to race through her body, almost terrified of what she was about to tell him.

Kotetsu looked at her. “What is it, Karina? Do you have to go back home?”

“No!” She shook her head. Taking a deep breath, she spoke quickly. “I’monbirthcontrolpills.”

He was grateful that they came to a stoplight, because if they had not, he would have slammed on the brakes. “Did you just say what I think you said?” He looked at her. Now it was his heart that was beginning to beat faster.

“I did,” Karina said, meeting his eyes. She could feel that heat continue to race through her, knowing that by what she was telling him, it was a game changer. She had been on birth control for a couple of years, it had helped regulate her feminine cycle, but had decided to not say anything until it seemed appropriate. She could see his amber eyes begin to deepen in color, making her body respond in kind.

The light changed once more, and Kotetsu took off. Within a flash, they were parking in his driveway. Kotetsu got out of the car and made his way to her side, and opened the car door for her. She looked up at him and smiled. “Thank you.” She got up and, quickly looking around without being too obvious, she flashed him, only a second, as she got out of the car.

He groaned, gripping the car door tightly. Once she was out, he closed the door and set the alarm, then walked with her up the few steps to his front door. He pulled the spare key out of his pocket and handed it to her. “Here. So you know that I am serious.”

She took the key, her eyes wide. “You...you don’t have to do this, Kotetsu.”

“I want to, Karina,” he said, looking into her auburn eyes. “That’s why I kept in my pocket. I’m giving it to you. You can use my place anytime. If I’m here, if I’m not here. My home is now your home.”

Her hand shook as she took out her small keyring and placed it on it, joining her house key, the only other key that was on there. She placed the key in the lock and looked up at him. “I...I won’t abuse this,” her voice was quiet. Turning the key, she unlocked the door and walked into his house.

Closing the door behind him, quickly turning the lock, he pulled Karina back towards him. She let out a soft gasp as he wrapped his arms around her waist. Leaning his head down, he found her earlobe within seconds, and let his lips graze against it. “What if I want you to...?” He pressed himself against her backside as he slid his hand down her body. He groaned low as she leaned her head back against him, opening her body up for him. He kept his left arm wrapped around her waist as his right hand found its way underneath the hem of her dress, and up to her womanhood. He let his fingertips ghost against her mound, enjoying the soft moans that she was letting out. “Mmm....I’ve wanted to do this to you all night...” He tickled her mound more as he kissed the side of her neck.

“K-Kotetsu...” She moaned, feeling as if her body were on fire. She pushed against his hand, wanting to feel more of him. After going for those few nights of not being able to do anything physical with him after having a taste, she wanted more. She _needed_ more.

He slipped his fingers underneath her lace panties, pressing a finger against her wetness as he nipped at the soft skin beneath her earlobe. Speaking into her ear, his voice took on a dark timbre. “Is this what you want, Karina...? Did you miss this...?”

“Yes!!” She moaned louder, her body shaking as she felt his finger go deeper inside of her. “Oh, please...please, Kotetsu...” Her voice was dripping with need.

Yanking her panties off, he turned her around and pushed her up against the wall, kissing her hard. She moaned into the kiss, rubbing her tongue against his as she listened to him struggle with his pants. The heat was racing through the both of them, both aching to feel each other, both needing it. She broke off the kiss and placed her lips against his neck, sucking on it gently.

His pants fell to the floor, the sound amplified by the sound of his belt buckle hitting the hardwood floor. He reached down and placed her leg around his waist. Looking into her auburn eyes, his voice still contained that huskiness. “Do you want me to grab one?”

She knew what he meant. He didn’t have to say it because they both knew what he was talking about. She kept her eyes locked onto his amber ones. “No.” Her voice was quiet, the intent behind the single dismissal understood between the two of them.

“I promise it’ll be better next time,” he whispered into her ear, keeping her pressed against the wall. “I just....I can’t wait...” He kissed the side of her neck, groaning low as she moved her head to allow him more access to his neck.

“Please....I want you to....” She leaned her head back, moaning softly. “Take me, Kotetsu...”

As soon as those three words left her lips, he placed himself at her entrance, groaning at how wet she was. Both let out soft moans at how different it felt to just be skin to skin, not separated by a thin rubber barrier. He teased her with just the tip, pushing it in, then pulling it back out, making himself become lubricated with her natural wetness. “Take a deep breath, Karina,” he whispered. “This may hurt for a second...”

Taking a deep breath, she let out a loud moan as she felt him enter her, the feeling completely different from how it had felt with the condom. Her eyelids flew open, her mouth opened in a silent moan as he kept pushing into her. She gripped his shoulders and leaned her head back, keeping herself pressed firmly against the wall as she allowed her body to adjust to his arousal. The both of them stayed quiet for a few moments, their breaths coming out shallowly. She looked at him. “Catch...me...” She moaned, hoping he’d understand what she was suggesting.

She pushed herself up further on the wall and raised her other leg, both of her legs now wrapped around him. She let out a loud scream as he penetrated deep, the feeling unbelievable. “Ohhh!!” She wrapped her arms around his neck, rolling her hips to push him back into the position he had just been in. “Oh, please....”

“Karina...” Kotetsu moaned, wrapping his arms around her as he pushed her back to rest against the wall. He had forgotten just how good it felt to be buried in a woman like this, surrounded by her warmth. He thrust his hips, pushing her against the wall. He felt her legs tighten around him, forcing him to bury his face in her neck. “You feel....so good...” He began to rock his hips more, moaning low as he felt her begin to spasm around him.

“I....I.....I.....” Karina couldn’t speak. All she could do was get lost in the intense feeling that passed through her body with each thrust of his. She began to moan louder when she shifted her legs up, Kotetsu hitting her g-spot. “Oooooh.....”

Kotetsu groaned, thrusting harder into her. “Karina....touch....yourself....I want....to make you...”

“I’m....I’m.....I’m......” She screamed as she came hard, not having to touch herself, as with every thrust into her body, Kotetsu’s groin rubbed against her clitoris. The spasms of her orgasm raced through her body, flying high up into the air.

Kotetsu groaned low. “That’s it....” He began to thrust his hips faster. “Now....come for me again...” He pushed all the way in, beginning to thrust his hips hard, so that with each thrust, he hit that magical spot of hers, over and over. She was screaming, the sounds of her wild moans sweet music to his ears.

“Kotetsu!!” She came again, only a few moments after her last orgasm. He moaned low and she felt his body tense. “Come....come inside of me...” She moaned.

He thrust his hips harder, pushing all the way in. “Are...you....sure....?” He asked with each thrust, not wanting to come until he had the okay.

“Come!!” She screamed, riding him hard. He let out a loud moan and did as she told him, coming deep inside of her, his moans long and drawn out as he let himself go.

The two panted in unison, both overexerted from their impromptu session. Karina lowered one leg, then lowered the other, effectively making Kotetsu fall out of her. She blushed as she felt something begin to trickle down her leg. Kotetsu kissed her softly. “Stay right there, okay?” He wandered into the downstairs bathroom and grabbed a small towel. He came back out and walked back over to where she stood. He got down on his knees and began to wipe at the liquid that had been trickling down her leg.

“W-What are you doing...?” Karina asked, her voice still a bit breathless. She couldn’t understand what he was doing to her, and didn’t understand why he was doing it when she was more than capable of taking care of it herself.

Kotetsu gently wiped her womanhood gently. “Well....since there was no condom to catch the mess, I’m cleaning it up for you.”

“Kotetsu...” She shook her head. “You don’t have to do that.”

He kissed her thigh and smiled. “I know I don’t. It’s not a big deal to me.” He pulled back. “Is that better?”

She moved around and gave a small nod of her head. “Do you mind if I go and use the bathroom?”

“Not at all.” Kotetsu said, stepping away from her.

Picking up her panties from the floor, she made her way to the bathroom and closed the door. Some girl had said in the locker room that after you have unprotected sex, it was best to go to the bathroom to help clean yourself. She blushed, thinking it was all malarkey, but wanted to do it anyway, giving herself piece of mind. Slipping her panties back on, she flushed the toilet and washed her hands. Looking at herself in the mirror, she couldn’t help but giggle. Her hair was going every which way, her neck was full of red dots, thanks to her lover’s goatee, and her upper body was all flushed. She pulled her hair up, letting her loose ponytail rest on the back of her neck. She felt a lot lighter, more relaxed, now that that was all over. Still giggling, she opened the bathroom door.

“I hope you’re not laughing because of what we just did,” Kotetsu said, sitting on his couch. He had put his pants back on when she was in the bathroom, so they were both dressed as they had been before. She shook her head and walked over to where he was sitting and sat on his lap. “What...what are you doing?”

She untied his tie and set it on the table, where he had thrown his hat when they had first walked into the house. “Making you more comfortable. Got a problem with that?” She smirked, unbuttoning the first few buttons on his green shirt. She reached down on unbuttoned his vest, smiling at her handy work. “There. Much more relaxed.”

“And what about you?” Kotetsu said, placing his hands on her hips. “You’re wearing a dress. How is that fair for me? What am I supposed to take off of you?”

She laughed again. “Kotetsu, are you sure you’re older than me? Because you act as if we’re the same age, or you’re younger. Can you really think of nothing to take off of me? Really?” She kissed his cheek. “I think you’re just being silly.”

Kotetsu chuckled, hugging her close to him. “You say this now, but you’ll find that what I say, I actually mean. But, since you put it that way...I’m sure there’s something I could take off of you.” His hands slipped underneath her dress and grabbed her butt gently.

“Kotetsu,” she moaned, leaning her head back as he kept touching her.

Groaning, he began to kiss her offered neck. “Karina...if you keep making those noises, I cannot be responsible for what happens.”

“What if I don’t want you to be...?” Karina said, rocking against his lap.

He bit her earlobe. “I had dessert all planned...”

“So...? What’s another round?” She kept rocking against his hips, moaning with each pass.

Kotetsu bounced his hips, eliciting a loud moan from Karina. “So, is that what you want..?”

“Please...”

He nibbled on her earlobe. “Is it your goal to not be able to walk by the end of this evening?”

Her body shivered at the thought. “If you’re implying you want to carry me everywhere, then yes...” She rolled her hips, moaning as she felt his clothed arousal push against her. “Don’t make me ask...”

“Mmm.....Karina...” He thrust up once more, enjoying how he could tease her with such little effort.

“Please...” She whined softly, beginning to rock herself faster against him. However, it didn’t feel as good as it would if he would just take her again.

He placed his hand inside of her panties and moved it forward, groaning as he felt it pass over the cleft in her butt. He extended his middle finger and pushed against her clit, making her moan loud. “That’s it, Karina....feel my finger...”

“I want more...” Karina moaned, rubbing herself against his finger. It felt so good, being on his lap, feeling his hand on her in this manner.

“Badly...?” Kotetsu groaned, rubbing his finger back and forth, faster and faster.

She let out a loud moan as she came hard. “Yeeesss....” She felt lighter than air as he kept touching her until she could take no more.

Panting hard, she rested her head against his neck. He removed his hand from her panties and wrapped his arm around her. “Rest for a few minutes, Karina-chan.

“We’re nowhere near finished yet.”

…

* * *

**A/N:** So much more in store for these two! ^_^ Thanks for reading!


	10. Chapter 10

She tried to catch her breath, but she wasn’t having that much success. Resting against Kotetsu’s neck, she could feel her heart still beating fast, her body still coming down from what he had just done to her with just his finger. She tried to sit up on his lap, but found her body had basically turned to jelly, a frustrated sigh escaping her lips.

“What’s wrong?” Kotetsu asked, chuckling softly. She pouted, unhappy with his nonchalantness. “What?”

She shook her head and slipped off his lap, landing ungracefully on her back on the couch. She let out a loud laugh, unable to stop herself. She found her predicament quite hilarious. “Nothing...is wrong...” She panted softly, still giggling quietly.

He leaned over and grabbed a throw pillow, propping up her head so she could breathe easier. “That comfortable?”

“Yes,” she gave him a smile. She took a deep breath and found that her body was slowly turning back to normal. “Sorry, my body gave up on me.”

Kotetsu laughed. “I guess that’s a good thing...?” He ran a hand through his hair, smiling softly. “Why don’t you make yourself more comfy on the couch. Like I said, I have dessert, if you’d like some?”

Pushing back against the soft cushions, she moved the pillow he had placed under her head to rest against the arm of the couch. “That sounds wonderful,” she said. “What did you plan for dessert?”

“It’s a surprise,” Kotetsu said, jumping up from the couch. He walked over to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. “Would you mind closing your eyes, Karina?”

She complied and slowly closed her eyes. “If I fall asleep, I blame you.” She let out a soft giggle, quite content on how things were progressing so far. They had barely been at his place for an hour, and already he had made her climax three times. She laid as seductively as she could on the couch, not knowing if she looked ridiculous or not with her eyes still closed.

“Fair enough,” Kotetsu said, his voice full of mirth. She heard the sound of the refrigerator door closing, doing her best to crack an eye without being seen. “Ah! What did I say about closing your eyes?” Kotetsu teased her.

Letting out a soft huff, she returned her eye to its resting position. “I’m sorry, I just don’t like surprises all that much.”

She heard plates being placed on the coffee table, as well as the sound of something else being set down on the table. “You know I’ll never do any bad surprises, right?”

“You mean like your failed attempt for Barnaby’s birthday?” Karina giggled, remembering the heist incident a few years ago that had actually turned into a legitimate heist.

Kotetsu groaned. “That was one time!” She felt the couch shift with the additional weight of Kotetsu sitting down. “You can open your eyes, Karina.”

She opened her eyes and looked at the coffee table, a smile began to appear on her face. “You really did plan this out, didn’t you?”

On the table was an assortment of fresh berries, with a small bowl filled with what could only be whipped cream. Next to the fruit were two champagne flutes, with the bottle sitting next to them unopened. She giggled, happy that they had not had dessert at the restaurant, as the berries looked quite yummy. Kotetsu picked up two strawberries and put them in the champagne flutes, then picked up the bottle of bubbly and popped the cork. She squeaked as the sound made a loud noise.

“Why are you pouring that over those berries?” Karina asked. “And we’re not getting drunk, are we?”

Kotetsu shook his head and handed her one of the flutes. “No, we’re not going to get drunk. Unless that’s what you’d like to do? I just thought it would be nice, seeing that you accepted my request of being my....girlfriend.”

“I did,” Karina said, blushing. She raised her glass. “Thanks to this liquid. Rather apropos.”

Kotetsu clinked her glass with his own. “Why do you think I picked it?” They both took a sip of the effervescent liquid.

Looking at the berries, Karina picked one up and dipped it into the whipped cream. She held up her hand and placed the berry against Kotetsu’s mouth. He bit down on the berry and grinned, happy with how relaxed Karina seemed to be. He chewed the sweet fruit and swallowed.

“I hope you don’t mind that I did that,” Karina said. She picked up another berry and dipped it into the whipped cream. Before she could place it in her mouth, Kotetsu grabbed her wrist gently and guided her hand back to his mouth. She let out a soft moan as he took the berry from her fingers, his tongue darting out to lick her fingertips. “Kotetsu...”

He sat back up and smiled. “Sorry, I just really wanted another berry.” He reached for a berry and dipped it into the whipped cream and held it up to Karina’s lips. “Here you go.” His voice had dropped to a deep baritone, sending shivers through Karina’s body.

Opening her mouth, she let him place the berry inside of her mouth, and just like him, she let her tongue brush against his fingertips. She heard him moan just as she had done. Closing her mouth, she chewed and swallowed. As Kotetsu began to lower his hand from her face, she quickly leaned forward and captured his fingers back into her mouth, sucking on the fingers gently. He watched her and let out a low moan, watching her.

“Karina.” The way he spoke her name sent more shivers down her back. She looked into his amber eyes, keeping his fingers in her mouth. She let her tongue sweep against it, moaning softly as she thought about another part of his body she was anxious to feel in her mouth. And from the sounds she was pulling from Kotetsu, it seemed he was feeling the same way.

He pulled his fingers out of her mouth and quickly picked her up off the couch. She let out a squeal, giggling. “Kotetsu!! What are you doing?!”

“Taking us up to my room.” He raced up the stairs, holding her close to his chest. When he got to his room, he set her down gently on the bed. “I’ll be right back.” He kissed her softly, then took off like a bullet from the room.

She shook her head, unsure of what he was doing. Seeing as she was in his bedroom once more, she decided to make herself more...comfortable. She quickly took off her dress and let it fall to the floor by her side of the bed. She could feel her heart begin to beat faster, recognizing what was about to happen. _As if it hasn’t already happened_ , she giggled quietly. She kept her bra and panties on, hoping that it would make Kotetsu happy, seeing her waiting for him on his bed. She didn’t have to wait too long, for as quick as he had disappeared, he appeared just as quickly. He had a towel wrapped around his waist.

Walking into the room, he got into bed and quickly removed the towel. “What’s with the towel?” Karina asked, turning to look at him.

“I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable,” Kotetsu said, looking into her auburn eyes. “I know you haven’t looked at me down there, so I didn’t want to shock you by standing in the door, completely naked.”

She felt the heat rise to her face. “I....I don’t know what to say...”

“You don’t have to say anything.” Kotetsu wrapped an arm around her and pulled her against his chest. “I’m not asking you to look. I’m quite happy with what we’ve been doing, Karina. Don’t feel pressured at all.” He placed a kiss against her temple. “It really doesn’t matter to me. I just wanted to be nice.”

Taking a deep breath, Karina looked up at him. “You’re not at all bothered by that?”

“Why would I be?” Kotetsu asked, smiling softly. “It doesn’t matter to me, Karina-chan. I’m just happy that you’re laying here in my bed, with me.”

She sat up and looked at his sculpted chest. She placed her hand on his sternum and watched as he closed his eyes and arched up into her touch. “I’m glad to hear you say that, Kotetsu.” She let her fingers run down his chest, debating on if she should go lower or not. She knew that he wouldn’t make fun of her if she did something wrong, which was a very large fear of hers. She played with the trail of hair just below his belly button.

Gasping softly, Kotetsu closed his eyes. “K-Karina...? What....What are you doing?”

“Getting over my fear,” she spoke softly. She pulled back the blanket all the way, her breath leaving her lungs in a whoosh of air.

She gazed at his girthy arousal, the part of his anatomy that she had only looked at in text books in her class. Yes, she had touched him before, but she had never fully examined his body before. Seeing it in the soft light that his bedside lamp gave off made it almost less frightening. She saw that the hair above  was kept short. She reached down and touched the small tufts of hair, making the man she was touching let out a low groan.

“I...cleaned up...” Kotetsu murmured, keeping his voice as even as possible. “I..didn’t know...what you wanted to do...so I took a quick shower...” He kept his hips still, afraid that if he pushed her too far, she would stop her exploration of his body. “I keep...myself...groomed.”

Letting out a nervous giggle, Karina kept her fingers inside the nest of curls. “I can see that,” she said, running her fingers through the short, coarse hair. “And you know I wax,” she felt that heat return to her center, her body humming with sexual need.

“I do,” Kotetsu let out another soft groan. “Go ahead...and touch....I’m trying my best to control myself...”

Lifting up his arousal, she examined it with the feel of her fingers. “You must have great control,” she said as she slowly let it fall back down. She watched his arousal bounce for a second, quite fascinated by it. “It....it’s nothing like it is in an anatomy book.” Karina brushed the pad of her thumb against his ball sac, her hand shaking slightly as Kotetsu let out a low moan. “Is...did you like that?” She rubbed the pad of her thumb against his sac.

“Yes...” Kotetsu groaned, biting his bottom lip. “Karina, you have no idea how much you’re torturing me right now.”

She turned her palm upward and began to drag her index finger up the length of his arousal. “Torturing, hmm?” She could see a small drop of liquid trying to free itself from the small slit on the crown of his arousal. She took her index finger and wiped at it, the shimmering liquid now on her fingertip. Looking into Kotetsu’s eyes, for he had opened them with a groan as her finger had pressed against the slit, she raised her finger to her lips and tasted the droplet. She found that it wasn’t nearly as bad as all the girls had made it out to be. Yes, it wasn’t the best of tastes, but there were worse things that she had tasted before. She closed her eyes and just let it sink onto her tongue, becoming familiar with it.

“T-Torture...” Kotetsu moaned, watching her suck on her own finger. He was about ready to explode from just watching her taste him. He hoped, silently prayed, that she would take the next step. He didn’t want to suggest it to her. He would rather her make the next move when she was ready. If it wasn’t now, he would be okay with it, even though he was achy to feel her mouth on his body.

Opening her eyes, she took her finger out of her mouth and let out a breathless moan. “That...is very...interesting.” She didn’t know what else to say. She wanted to taste it more, but was scared, her nerves trying to get the best of her.

He took her hand and had her extend her index finger once more. Since she had just done this, he felt it wouldn’t be too bad controlling her hand. He could see the fear and n her eyes, and he wanted to make that go away as fast as he could. He let out a low groan as he placed her finger against the small slit once more, groaning as he could feel himself begin to secrete more pre-cum. He let go of her hand and watched as she raised her finger back to her lips and licked at the small droplet once more.

“Is it...still interesting...?” He asked, the timbre of his voice sending more shivers racing down her spine. She nodded her head and let her finger fall out of her mouth once more. “Karina....you don’t have to be scared or afraid.”

She took a deep breath. “Is it that obvious?”

“I’m not going to do anything bad,” Kotetsu said, lifting his hand to cup her left cheek. She turned her head to rest more in his hand. “I can sense your unease right now.”

“I’m scared,” she whispered, keeping her eyes closed tightly.

He rubbed his thumb against her cheek. “Of what? We’ve already slept together, a number of times now. And I’ve touched you. What is there to be scared of?”

“You’ve....you’ve had other lovers. I...I’ve had none,” she whispered. “What...What if I do something wrong?” She opened her eyes and looked at him, trying to not let herself cry.

Sitting up, he looked at her. “Karina, listen to me. If you want to me to tell you if it’s good or not, I can do that. You don’t have to be scared. No matter what, it’s you. And because it’s you, nothing can feel bad. Where’s that sexy vixen that all of the world sees? I know she’s in there.”

“Sexy...vixen?” Karina asked, a bright blush appearing on her cheeks. “Is that what people see me as?” She giggled, unable to stop herself. “That’s absurd!”

Kotetsu chuckled as he laid back down on the bed. “Is it? I don’t think it is. That’s besides the point, Karina-chan. The point is, don’t be afraid. Just because I’ve had other lovers doesn’t mean anything.”

“Are you sure?” She asked, the nervousness leaving her body as she absorbed the words he was saying to her. It made sense - she was only psyching herself out. No one else was telling her that she was bad, except for that nagging voice in her head.

He watched as she moved herself to sit by his legs. Taking the cue, he spreads his knees apart, allowing her to sit between them if she wanted. She moved herself once more, placing herself between his now open legs. She looked up at him. “Please...tell me if this isn’t good, okay?”

“I will.” Kotetsu nodded and watched as she stared at his arousal. Wanting to lighten the situation, he flexed, bouncing his arousal up and down. She laughed, shaking her head at his silliness. “Do you feel better now?” He asked, happy to see that smile return to her face.

She took one look at his arousal and decided it was now or never. Lowering her body so that her chest was against the bed, she stuck her tongue out and licked at the base of his arousal.

She heard him groan low and felt her body respond in kind, happy that she hadn’t done that wrong. Licking at the base a few more times, she decided to let her tongue slide up towards the tip, licking him as if he were a lollipop. She opened her eyes and saw that he was watching her. Both let out soft moans as their eyes made contact with one another. Staring at him, she let her tongue touch the tip of his arousal, moaning softly as she tasted more of that unique taste on the back of her tongue. She closed her eyes and moved her head, wrapping her lips around the head and slowly slipping it down. She moaned as he filled her mouth, the thickness of his arousal causing minor strain on her jaw. Relaxing, Karina opened her mouth a bit wider, letting her tongue rub against Kotetsu’s arousal.

“Ka...rina....” Kotetsu moaned, gripping the bedsheets. “You...sure....this is your...first time doing this?” He let out a soft groan as she began to suck on him. “Yes....like that, Karina....”

Sucking on him a bit more, she looked up at him and saw that Kotetsu’s mouth was open. She heard his voice, moaning softly as she sucked on him more. She liked how he felt in her mouth, and liked how his skin tasted, very a tad bit salty. She raised her head up and let her lips rest against the crown, sucking gently on just the tip.

“Mmm....yes....” Kotetsu moaned lower, doing his best to not push his hips upward. He wanted to be back in her mouth, wanted to feel what it would be like to be all the way in down her throat, but knew he couldn’t push her. He couldn’t believe she had never done this before. She was handling him as if she were a very experienced lover. “Karina.....I’m close....” He saw her look back up at him. “You don’t...have to....finish me....like thi-aaaah....” He groaned low as she drew him back into her mouth, sucking on him quickly.

Karina relaxed her throat, letting him press against the back of her throat, doing her best to not gag. She moaned as she sucked faster on him, not wanting to stop until he had finished. She could hear on his breathing pattern change, his moans happening more and more frequently as she sucked harder on him. She felt what she assumed to be a vein begin to throb against her tongue. Kotetsu moaned another warning, and soon she tasted what she had tasted before on her finger in abundance. Without panicking, she began to swallow, as if she were sucking liquid out of a straw, moaning softly as she heard Kotetsu moan low.

As soon as she felt no more liquid slipping down her throat, she lifted her head and licked at the tip, making sure to leave no traces of the liquid. Looking up, she saw that Kotetsu’s eyes were half-lidded and his breath was coming out in soft pants. She wiped her mouth and spoke softly. “Was....was that okay?”

He pulled her close to him and kissed her softly, showing just how ‘okay’ it was. After kissing chastely for a few moments, Kotetsu licked Karina’s bottom lip, which made her gasp. Taking the moment, Kotetsu gently pushed his tongue inside of her mouth, kissing her deeply, groaning as he could taste himself on her tongue. They both moaned as they continued to kiss one another. Soon, Karina found herself laying on her back, Kotetsu hovering over her body. They broke apart for air, both panting softly.

“I guess....so...?” Karina panted, giggling quietly.

Kotetsu nodded his head and kissed her jawline, his goatee rubbing against her neck in a pleasant manner. “If you hadn’t told me you had never done that before, I would have thought otherwise.” He lifted his head and looked her in the eyes. “And I don’t mean that in a bad way, Karina.” He lowered his head and kissed her softly once more. “Did you....did you enjoy that?” He pulled back, laying next to her, but keeping her secured against his body in a relaxed hug.

“I did,” Karina said, resting against his chest. “I’ve heard the girls talking about that stuff in the locker room before. I thought....” She giggled softly. “I thought it was going to taste a lot worse than it did. It was actually...not that bad.”

He laughed and gave her a gentle squeeze. “Not that bad huh? Gosh, Karina. That’s awfully sweet of you to say.”

“What I meant to say is that I could do that again with no arguments,” she smiled mischievously.

Kotetsu let out a low groan. “Stop that. “

“Stop what?” She asked, batting her eyelashes playfully. “You mean to tell me you don’t want me to do that again?” Looking down, she could see that he was becoming excited. “Kotetsu! You’re getting hard just thinking about it!” She squealed, not believing how quick he was to become aroused again.

Kotetsu pulled her against him and held her close. “Can you blame me?” He whispered into her ear, sending shivers down her spine once more. She let out a soft moan as he nibbled on her earlobe. “Just the thought of your mouth wrapped around me is making me ache for you, Karina...”

She reached down and wrapped her hand around his arousal, looking down at it as she moved her hand slowly up and down. “Does this help that ache, Kotetsu...?” She was no longer afraid of being timid in bed, not after what they had just experienced together. She knew that he would tell her if it was good or bad, but trusted him when he said that it would always be good. She gripped him a bit tighter and heard him moan low. “I think that _is_ good...”

“It...is....” Kotetsu groaned, pushing back against her hand. “Karina.....” He placed his hands on her hips and within seconds had removed her panties from her body. She let out a soft moan as he placed his fingers against her womanhood. “You’re so wet,” he whispered into her ear as she let out another breathy moan as his fingers spread her folds and one entered into her. “Mmm....so very wet....”

Stroking him, she pushed back against his hand. “Kotetsu...”

She let go of him and pushed him onto his back. His fingers slipped out of her as she moved to straddle his waist. His eyes became wide as she sank down onto his arousal, both moaning loud as he penetrated her. She waited until he was all the way inside of her before she placed her hands on his shoulders, and began to roll her hips.

“Oh...my.....God....” She let out a high pitched moan as Kotetsu began to push deep inside of her, each thrust of his hitting her in just the right spot. She grabbed onto the top of the headboard, unable to keep herself balanced by holding onto his shoulders.

He pushed up her bra, exposing her breasts to him. Bucking his hips upward, he lifted his face and attached his lips to her right breast, sucking on it gently. She let out a wild moan, pressing against his mouth. “Oh....fuck!” She couldn’t help herself, it felt too good, so much stimulation to her body was sending her mind into overdrive. The feel of him inside of her, at a natural angle instead of being pushed up against a wall, was incredible. She screamed loud as she came hard, unable to stop herself as Kotetsu’s tongue flicked against her erect nipple, his teeth piercing the soft flesh of her breast.

Bucking his hips more, he let out a loud groan as he felt her come. He released her breast from his mouth and placed both of his hands on her hips, thrusting into her faster. He let out a loud moan as he felt her come again, quickly sending him over the edge. He moved his hips, riding out his release, holding her close to him.

Karina let go of the headboard and fell onto his chest, moaning senselessly, her body still overstimulated. “Oh...Ko....tet...su....” She could barely catch her breath.

He took a few deep breaths. “I’m....so glad....you told me...about your birth control...” He kissed her temple, letting out a soft chuckle.

“It feels....so much better...” Karina said, giggling with him. “I...had...no idea...”

Reaching down to the floor, Kotetsu grabbed the towel he had been wearing when he had come back into the room. Karina looked at him, not sure what he was doing with the towel. He lifted her up off of him and quickly placed the soft material against her. She blushed deeply, understanding what he was doing for her. Quickly taking the towel, she patted herself, trying to make sure no mess hit the bedsheets.

“Don’t be embarrassed,” Kotetsu said, using a different part of the towel to clean himself off. “It’s one of the necessary evils of having sex without a condom.” She let go of the towel, still a bit mortified by how nonchalant Kotetsu was being about all of this. He dropped the towel back on the side of the bed. Turning back to look at her, he gave her a smile. “Relax, Karina. It’s only natural. With condoms, a hell of a lot less clean up.”

She nodded, still unsure of what to say. “So...use a towel?”

“Or tissue,” Kotetsu said, wrapping his arm back around his lover. “It just so happened that there was a towel.”

Giggling, she nodded. “Right. Got it.” She looked up at him. “Are you going to sleep, ojii-san?”

“Not you too,” Kotetsu groaned, closing his eyes as he gave her another gentle squeeze. “I don’t know about you, but my body is thrumming from how amazing that was. I think we’re entitled to a few moments of rest.”

Nuzzling his chest, she nodded her head. Her head was already beginning to feel heavy. “Agreed, Kotetsu...” She closed her eyes and began to breathe deeply, exhaustion taking over.

“You’re always falling asleep in my arms,” Kotetsu spoke to the room, knowing she wouldn’t hear him. “I don’t think I have any problem with that.” 

He reached over and turned off the light, darkness taking over his senses. As Kotetsu was beginning to drift to sleep, his cell phone began to ring. But Mr. Sandman had already claimed the older man, who was sleeping soundly, holding Karina in his arms.

…

* * *

**A/N:** I swear that plot is going to be making its appearance in the next chapter. Don’t blame me, I just really enjoy writing these sexy scenes. ^_^ Thanks for reading!


	11. Chapter 11

Karina woke up a few hours later, her body screaming at her to go to the bathroom. Blinking a few times, trying to get her bearings, she slipped carefully out of Kotetsu’s arms and got out of the bed. She saw that he was still fast asleep, snoring softly, his arms still cradling her. She smiled, happy to see him sleeping so peacefully.

Making her way to the bathroom, she bit her lower lip, trying not to let out an audible groan. Her lower body ached, not used to having so much physical activity. Entering the bathroom, she flipped on the switch and felt the cool heat race into her cheeks as she took in her appearance. Her hair was a mess, but she couldn’t seem to care about it. She looked at the shower and decided she wanted to take one. _Hopefully I don’t wake him up._ She turned the shower faucet it, letting the water warm up.

After taking care of business, she stepped into the shower, moaning softly as the warm water pulsed against her back. She leaned her head against the shower stall, just allowing the hot water to massage her body back into a manageable state. Turning around, she let the water hit her face, keeping her eyes tightly closed to keep the water out. Lowering her head, she opened her eyes to find the liquid soap she had used the previous time she had been at Kotetsu’s place. Quickly pouring some into the palm of her hand, she began to lather the soap into a washcloth she had grabbed from the small towel rack.

As she washed her body, her mind began to wander, thinking about the last time she and Kotetsu had been in the shower together. Shivering at the thought of his hands on her body made her want to  quicken the pace of her shower.

“Boo.”

She let out a squeal at the sound of Kotetsu’s voice in her ear. She turned around and punched his chest. “Kotetsu!!” She squealed, laughing at how stupid she must have sounded when he said what he had. It must have been quite funny, as he was doubled over in laughter. “I should kill you for doing that to me!”

“Awwww....Karina-chan! You....you were...” Kotetsu couldn’t stop laughing. “Oh, that squeal. That was so.....so....kawaii!”

She punched his shoulder again, and then once more for good measure. “You should know better than to sneak up on someone. Especially when they’re in the shower!”

“Awwww....don’t be too upset with me...” Kotetsu wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her against his body. “I just wanted to surprise you, that’s all.” He lowered his head, nuzzling the side of her neck. “You’re all slippery.”

Unable to stop herself, she let out a soft giggle. “Kotetsu, you are incorrigible. Of course I’m slippery. I was just washing up.”

“Mmmm....Did you need some help?” He took the washcloth from her hands. “You know, I don’t mind helping you, if you require some assistance.”

She looked at him, her auburn eyes smoldering with the look she could see in his own eyes. “So...by you asking if I need your help...you really just want an excuse to touch me, is that it?” Watching his eyes widen made her take the washcloth back from him. “Maybe I want to touch you, hmm? Did you ever think of that?” She kept her eyes on his, dropping the soapy washcloth onto the floor of the tub. “Oopsy.”

Turning around, she bent over, making sure that her backside was practically at Kotetsu’s waist. She heard him let out a low groan as she stayed bent over. “Karina-chan...” Kotetsu’s voice was raspy, the sexual desire quite evident in his voice.

Keeping her backside up in the air, she began to swivel her hips. “Gosh, Kotetsu, I can’t seem to keep a firm grip on this washcloth...” She kept her voice light and airy, not caring that her hair kept falling into her eyes. She knew that if she kept this up, she would be rewarded with what she was after.

Kotetsu grabbed her hips and pulled her to him, letting out a low moan as she felt his very erect arousal press against the clef of her backside. “Karina....” Kotetsu rotated the two of them, so that she was now facing the shower wall. She leaned against it, pushing her hips back into his. “Kami, Karina....Do you know what you’re doing to me right now?” Kotetsu groaned, reaching around her body to lift her head up to his.

“Do you want me, Kotetsu...? Do you want to take me...?” Karina asked, her nerves beginning to fray, scared of talking to him in this manner. She didn’t want to be doing something wrong, but she knew that she was in the one in charge of the situation. It was quite clear that Kotetsu was putty in her hands at the moment. She turned her head, capturing his thumb with her lips, biting the tip with her front teeth. Keeping her eyes on his amber ones, she saw his eyes reflecting the same thing that was in her own. Raw, unbridled need. She pushed her hips back against his, keeping her eyes locked onto his. “If you don’t answer me, Kotetsu....I may just have to turn the water to cold for you.” She released her NEXT power, her eyes flashing bright blue.

Kotetsu’s eyes flashed, his own eyes turning the same color as hers as he called on his own NEXT powers. Karina felt her body shiver at just how incredibly hot Kotetsu looked with his eyes that shade of blue. “Two can play at that game, Karina-chan.” Kotetsu’s voice was deep, almost a growl.

“Then,” Karina said, turning her body so that her back was against the shower wall. “Let’s play.” She lifted her left leg and wrapped it around Kotetsu’s waist, pulling him to her. “You know you want to, Kotetsu....”

Lowering his head to her neck, Karina felt a warm shiver race through her body as she felt his facial hair rub against her neck as his lips made contact with her body. “Do you want me to, Karina...?” Kotetsu’s voice filled her ears. “Do you want me?”

Using the limited strength she had from her NEXT powers, she angled her body so that the tip of his arousal was pressing against her wet entrance. “Does it feel like I want you?” She whispered into his ear. “Tell me that answer, and I’ll give you yours.”

“Mmmm.....you’re practically dripping,” Kotetsu pushed his hips a little bit forward, keeping just the tip buried inside of her. “I think you can tell by how hard I am....how bad I want to be inside of you right now, Karina...” His lips pressed against her earlobe. “Let me take you...”

Karina leaned her head back. “Wait...”

“Karina....” Kotetsu groaned. “Why...?”

She shook her head, lowering her leg back down. “Trust me, okay?” She leaned forward, kissing him softly. “There’s.....there’s something I’d like to try...And we can’t do that in here.” She reached around his body, turning the shower off. “Hurry up and dry off, and let’s get back to the bedroom.”

“You know you’re killing me right now, right?” Kotetsu grumbled, pushing the shower curtain to the side. He grabbed a large towel and handed it to her, taking another one for himself.

Furiously drying herself off, Karina pulled Kotetsu down to her and kissed him softly. “Stop. I promise it will be worth the wait. I know, I know. I probably shouldn’t have aggravated you in that manner, but can you blame me? You just looked so sexy, standing in that shower with me...”

“Alright,” Kotetsu said, leaning his head against her forehead. “I’m just glad you didn’t zap me with ice in there.” He grinned, wrapping his towel around his waist. “Then we really would have had some problems.” His eyes stayed blue for a few more minutes before returning to their normal amber.

She finished drying herself and hung up her towel on the towel rack. She walked back Kotetsu, swaying her hips with each step. “I would never do that to you, oji-san.”

“Gah!!” Kotetsu groaned, sliding his hand down his face at the honorific. “Never call me that again! Especially walking like that!” He quickly followed her out of the bathroom and back into the bedroom. “So, what’s your plan, oh temptress of my heart and loin?”

Sitting on the bed, she patted the space in front of her. “Come here, Kotetsu.” She giggled as he dropped the towel on the side of the bed and sat on the bed in the exact spot she had pointed to. She shook her head. “Again, literal as always.” 

“Is this not where you want me?” Kotetsu said, leaning forward to rub his chin against her naked shoulder. She let out a soft moan at his actions, quite pleased with what he was doing to her with just the small touches here and there.

“Oh, this is where I want you.” Karina nodded her head. Closing her eyes, she tried to make her nerves return to a normal level, as opposed to the constant push-pull which was currently happening. “Now, then. This is what I wanted to do.” She opened her eyes and began to turn around, so that her back was to him once more. Facing his headboard, she got on to her hands and knees, hoping that her intentions were coming across.

Kotetsu bit his lower lip, groaning low. “Karina....”

“Not the backside, but...you know...” She blushed, hating that they were having to talk about the position, as opposed to just doing it like they always did. She could feel the heat return to her face, but then felt it immediately evaporate with a gentle hand on her shoulder. She met his eyes, relief flooding through her at the tenderness he saw there.

Kotetsu gave her shoulder a light squeeze. “I understand. You know, you don’t have to be embarrassed about talking about this stuff. I want you to know that I want to explore everything with you. If there is something you’re too shy to ask, send it to me in a text.”

“Kotetsu...” She blushed brightly, shaking her head. “It’s not that bad!”

He chuckled. “Right. I’m just saying, I’m open to anything. _Anything_ , Karina.”

“O-Okay...” Karina nodded her head. “Thank you...I’m sorry if I’m so inexperienced with all of this.”

Kotetsu moved from behind her and sat next to her side. “Nonsense. There is no reason to apologize for that.” He cupped her face with his left hand. She leaned into his touch, closing her eyes. “I want to do everything and anything for you. I...” He stopped himself in mid-sentence.

“You....what?” Karina asked, opening her eyes to look at him. “Kotetsu, what were you going to say?”

He grinned, running his hand through his hair in a nervous manner. “N-Nothing! I was just going to say that I want to make you feel as comfortable as you are right now when it comes to any particular act of sex.”

“Then....will you get behind me...?” Karina asked, her voice suddenly filled with hints of lust. “Because my body is aching to feel you inside of me, Kotetsu...”

Groaning, he quickly sat up. “With an admission like that, how could I not give you what you want, Karina-chan...?” He placed himself at her wet entrance. “Now...keep your hips up, no matter what, Karina....Or else I may slip out of you...”

She nodded her head. “Fine, Kotetsu....just....just please....”

Taking a deep breath, she kept herself balanced on her hands and knees, biting back the moan that wanted to escape as Kotetsu began to push himself further into her. She let out a loud cry as he became buried all the way in her, the new position making her body hum. She pushed back against him, pushing him deeper inside of her. She let out a soft moan as he returned the pressure by moving his hips forward. They began a bit awkwardly, each trying to find their way with the new position, Karina being cautious with her body. But, as soon as they found their rhythm, and the proper angle at which to be at, all bets were off.

Karina fell forward, burying her head into the pillow as she moaned as loud as she could, the sound being muffled by the pillow. She felt Kotetsu’s grip tighten on her hips, constantly pushing in and out of her, making her body ache for more. Turning her head, moaning, she tried to speak as best as she could. “Ko....Kotetsu.....I need....I need to....” She couldn’t find the right words, and every time she tried to speak. Kotetsu was thrusting deeper into her, sending all cognitive thought out of her head.

“Not...gonna come....this way...?” Kotetsu groaned, thrusting his hips faster. She nodded, happy that her ability to speak had been taken away, for she was a little embarrassed by her admission. But he had told her to be honest with him, and no matter how wonderful this position felt, it just wasn’t doing the job 110% like the other positions had. “Don’t be.....afraid to....touch yourself....Karina-chan....”

Nodding her head, she angled her body back up, crying out in pleasure as he pushed himself back deep inside of her. She looked down her body, moaning as she was able to see what they were doing. The image of his arousal moving in and out of her, it fascinated her. “Are you...watching me...Karina-chan....?” Kotetsu groaned, moving his hips faster. She nodded, moaning in delight as she saw him disappear completely inside of her. “Mmm....I like..that....you’re watching....”

Her body on fire, she reached down and placed her fingers against the small nub at the top of her mound, her clitoris swollen. She moaned loud, placing her head back down on the pillow as her body rejoiced at being touched in the way it had wanted to feel. Kotetsu kept his pace, rocking his hips faster, as she pushed hers back to make him go deeper inside. His girth filled her, the feeling a hundred times more intense than it had been before, with the help of her hand. She moved her fingers fast, rubbing herself in just the right way. She let out a scream as she climaxed, trying to keep her fingers moving as opposed to stopping, wanting the feeling to last longer. Kotetsu moaned her name low, and she felt him come inside her, his hips stilling their constant thrusts.

Panting hard into the pillow, she moved her hand back up her body, her knees wobbling. She heard Kotetsu let out a low grunt as he pulled out of her, her own soft moan escaping at the sudden loss. And it wasn’t a moment too soon, as her knees gave out on her, laying on her stomach on the bed. She felt the bed shift and saw that Kotetsu had grabbed the towel he had had on earlier. She watched him, fascinated by how he cleaned his body with the towel. The methodical approach to making sure there was no mess on his body anywhere. She blushed when she saw him watching her.

“Enjoying the show?” Kotetsu asked, a small smirk on his face.

Giggling, she nodded. She tried to move, but felt her body was refusing to do anything except to lay there. “Will you...?”

“Of course,” Kotetsu sat by her hips. “Lift up for me?” She raised her hips up as much as she could, and let out a soft sigh as she felt the soft cotton of the towel against her womanhood. She felt the stickiness being removed, ever so grateful for her older lover. Even though there was a part of her that was a tad bit embarrassed, knowing that he didn’t care made it a little bit easier to accept the situation for what it was.

No sooner had he dropped the towel on the floor and had pulled her into his arms, the sound of the doorbell echoed through the townhouse. Karina looked up at Kotetsu. “Who on earth would be coming over at this hour?”

Kotetsu held her close, not bothering to get up. “Whoever it is, they’ll probably think I’m asleep. I mean....” He looked over at the small digital alarm clock on the nightstand. “It’s 2:30 in the morning. It’s probably some drunk who’s lost.”

“If you say so,” Karina said, trying to relax against his chest. She listened with one ear, trying to hear if the person went away or not. After a few minutes, there was another ring of the doorbell. “Kotetsu, are you sure you shouldn’t go and check?”

He shook his head, hugging her closer. “I don’t want to leave you.”

“Alright.” She giggled quietly, his logic not very sound, but a part of her didn’t want him to leave her either.

Closing her eyes, she tried to attain the sense of peace she had before the doorbell had rung. As soon as she had found it, she heard the distinct sound of a door opening. She felt Kotetsu’s grip tighten around her body, could hear his heart beating faster in his chest, matching the same pace as hers. _What is going on?_

“K-Kotetsu...Are you here?”

 _That voice......Oh, shit._ Karina looked at Kotetsu’s face and saw that his face was set in a silent groan. She whispered into his ear, “You had better go down there before he comes up here.”

Letting go of her, Kotetsu nodded. He placed a soft kiss on her lips. “Stay in here. It sounds like he’s had a little bit too much fun. I won’t be too long, okay?” He slipped out of the bed and grabbed his boxers, slipping them back on his body.

Karina nodded her head, covering herself up with the blanket, just in case. She didn’t want to speak again, in case the man that was downstairs still didn’t know about the two of them. As much as she wanted everyone to know that she was in his bed, she was smarter than that to flaunt it. She closed her eyes and tried to not listen to anything.

Kotetsu walked out of his room and stood at the top of the stairs. “I told you that key was for emergencies only.” He shook his head as he watched Barnaby stumbled to sit down on his couch. “What are you doing here at this time of night?”

“I didn’t want to be alone,” Barnaby said, sighing. “It’s not like you’re busy or anything. You never have anything going on. Besides, we usually hang out on Friday nights.”

Walking over to his small kitchenette, Kotetsu grabbed a water glass, filling it up to the brim. “Yeah, well, I told you. I had plans this evening.” He walked over to the blonde and handed him the glass. “Drink this.”

Barnaby took the glass and swallowed all of it with a few gulps. Kotetsu took the glass back from him and filled it up once more. “Just how much have you had to drink tonight, Bunny?”

“Not that much...” Barnaby’s voice was slightly slurred. “Antonio, Nathan and I went out for food and drinks.”

Walking back over to him, he handed him the glass of water. “Right. And you know what a light weight you are. How’d you even get here in this state?”

“Nathan.” Barnaby said, sipping the water this time. The blonde looked around and saw the two glasses on the table. “Are....are you still entertaining?”

Kotetsu ran a hand through his hair. _It’s now or never._ He didn’t know if he had it in him to be honest with his partner, but after being with Karina now, and making it official, he knew he had to say something. If he didn’t, then everything would be a mess. As if it wasn’t going to be anyway. He nodded his head and grinned. “I am. Sorry, Bunny.”

“Is he upstairs?”

Karina sat up. _He?? Wait, does he like guys too??_

“He?! What the fuck, Bunny?” Kotetsu asked, shaking his head violently. “No, no. Not he. She. _She_ is upstairs.”

Barnaby set the glass of water down on the table next to the champagne flute. “My apologies. I just thought...because of that one time...”

 _One time?! What is he talking about?_ Karina hated that she was stuck up in the bedroom, not knowing what the hell was going on. At least Kotetsu had admitted that there was someone upstairs.

“Bunny, I told you...that was a mistake. Let’s not talk about that now. Not when you’re like this.” Kotetsu said, shaking his head. He could feel the heat in his cheeks, knowing that he was going to have a lot of explaining to do to Karina when he got back upstairs. “Look, if you need to, you can crash down here.”

Barnaby shook his head and stood up. “No, I don’t want to be an intruder. I’ll just flag a taxi.” He wobbled to the side, almost falling back down to the couch.

“Barnaby...” Kotetsu said, reaching out to steady the blonde. “You sure?”

He nodded his head, the waves of his hair bouncing with each nod. “I am.” He walked over to the front door, walking in an absurd manner. Placing his hand on the doorknob, Barnaby spoke quietly, and more coherent than he had been the entire time he had been there. “Do I know her?”

Kotetsu looked down, not wanting to meet his partner’s eyes. “You do.”

“Who is it?” Barnaby’s voice was deathly calm.

The older man scratched the back of his neck with his hand, his nerves kicking in. “Bunny, let’s talk tomo-”

“Who is it?!” Barnaby cut him off. “Just tell me, Kotetsu.”

Hearing him use his name, instead of his nickname, Kotetsu felt his blood run cold. He spoke quietly. “It’s Karina.”

“Figures.” Barnaby opened the door and quickly slammed it behind him, leaving Kotetsu standing there, staring at the door.

He turned and began to make his way back up the stairs. He walked into the bedroom and saw Karina sitting up in the bed, her body covered by the top sheet. Rather than trying to pretend, as he would normally do, he figured it would be wiser to just be honest. “How much did you hear, Karina-chan?”

“Everything.” Karina’s voice was quiet, Kotetsu unable to figure out just what she was thinking.

He sat down on the bed, sitting next to her. “Are....are you upset with me?”

“Why would I be?” Karina asked, looking into his eyes. She blushed deeply, closing her eyes. “I...I didn’t know...”

Kotetsu touched her face with his hand, pushing some of her hair back out of her face. “I’ll tell you everything, Karina. All you have to do is ask. I....I had planned on telling you about it, but it just didn’t seem all that important. It happened only once. And it was safe, so don’t you worry about anything, okay?”

“How about we talk about it in the morning?” She asked, nuzzling his palm. “I’m beyond exhausted right now, Kotetsu. I’d...I’d rather get some more sleep.”

Slipping under the covers with her, he wrapped his arms around her loosely. “Do you want me to take my boxers off?” Kotetsu rested his head against Karina’s shoulder.

“Yes,” Karina said without hesitation. “I don’t want to be the only one naked.” She giggled softly, hoping to alleviate some of the tension that had magically found its way into their bodies.

That did it. Kotetsu reached down and slipped his boxers off, tossing them to the side. He let out a low chuckle, pressing a soft kiss against her ear. “Thank you, Karina-chan....”

“For what?” Karina asked, tilting her head a little bit to give him more room against her neck.

Kotetsu hugged her close to him. “For being so understanding.” He placed another kiss against her ear.

“Yeah, well...” Karina yawned softly. “You did tell him it was me up here, so I’ve got to give you a little bit of credit.”

He chuckled softly. “Well, I’m glad that’s all it takes to put me back into your good graces.”

“Sleep, Kotetsu,” Karina mumbled. “Need sleep.”

He stayed quiet as she fell asleep, unable to follow her into slumberland, as the incident with Barnaby continued to play out in his mind.

…

* * *

**A/N** :  Up next, there will be a bit of yaoi. So, if it’s not your thing, I totally understand. ^_^ Thanks for reading! 


	12. Chapter 12

There was a buzzing sound coming from somewhere, somewhere Karina couldn’t place. She tried to find the annoying sound blindly, refusing to open her eyes as it was still too early to even think about being awake. When she thought she had found the sound, she heard it increase in volume. _What the hell?? Why is it even louder now??_ She slowly cracked her eyes open.

“Karina, wake up.” Kotetsu began to shake her shoulder.

Blinking a few times, Karina watched Kotetsu get up from the bed. “K-K-Kotetsu?” She yawned,  unable to stop herself. “What...what’s going on?”

“I’ll be in the bathroom.” Kotetsu opened the door. “Look at your wrist.”

Looking down at her left wrist, she saw her blue Hero bracelet glowing, flashing the words ‘Incoming Call’. _So that’s what the noise was. Why didn’t I recognize it??_ She heard the door close to the bathroom. Taking a deep breath, she pressed the small button on her wrist.

“Bonjour, Heroes.” Agnes began. “Thank you for taking your time in waking up.”

“I...” Karina heard Ivan begin to protest.

Agnes held up her hand. “I was being facetious. I know it is late, or early, depending on how you want to look at it. But we have an emergency. I need you all here right away. Do not delay, for time is of the essence. See you.” Agnes signed off, silencing her communicator.

“I guess we better go,” Kotetsu said, coming back into the bedroom.

“What time is it?” Karina asked, stretching. “And...did Barnaby really come here last night, or was that a dream?”

Kotetsu grabbed his boxers off the floor and slipped them on. “It’s almost 5am, and yes, he was here.”

“Ah, okay...” Karina got up and slipped her own underthings on. “Should...Should I call a cab?”

“No,” Kotetsu said, shaking his head. “We’ll take my car to headquarters. I doubt it matters. Remember, it’s no longer a secret.” He put his green shirt and black pants on. “We gotta hustle, though. Agnes didn’t seem too pleased that it took us a bit to answer her call.”

Karina nodded. She walked over to her overnight bag. “Well, it is 5 in the morning. She has to understand that most of us were in a deep sleep. Just because she’s a robot doesn’t mean the rest of us are.” She grumbled quietly as she slipped on her track pants and a workout shirt.

“Karina!” Kotetsu laughed, shaking his head. “Do you honestly thinks she’s a robot?” He grabbed a clean vest and began to button it up.

She shook her head, her mouth falling open with a yawn. “No, not really. But it sure would explain a lot of things about her if she was. Like, how she’s always hoping something bad will happen to one of us.”

“Ratings.” Kotetsu said, shrugging his shoulders.

They finished getting dressed and headed down the stairs. “Do we have time to grab something to eat?” Karina asked.

“I don’t think so. She sounded like we needed to be there twenty minutes ago.” Kotetsu said, grabbing his newsboy cap and placing it on his head. “Come on. We can get food afterwards.”

She let herself be led out to the car. still barely awake. As she flopped into Kotetsu’s SUV, she let out a loud yawn. “What if....there is no afterwards?” She leaned her head back against the passenger headrest.

“Are you always this cheerful in the morning?” Kotetsu chuckled as he started the car. “Because, Karina-chan, you are just a bundle of sunshine.”

Closing her eyes, she shook her head. “You and I still need to talk about what happened last night.”

Speeding through the near empty streets of Sternbild, Kotetsu nodded. “I know that. I know that I owe you an explanation. But right now, we don’t really have the time to sit and talk about it. I hope you didn’t think that I arranged something to happen that forced us into work.”

“Did you?” She opened her eyes, her left eyebrow raised up. “Because, Kotetsu, if this conversation is going to go how I think it’s going to go, then it wouldn’t surprise me if you staged something while I was sleeping.”

Kotetsu pulled into the Apollon parking garage, heading down the ramp to be below the building. “Karina-chan, I’m hurt that you would think I would do something like this. Please, this has nothing to do with me.”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “How can I trust you?”

He pulled into the parking spot and shut the car off. “I thought that you weren’t upset with me, Karina-chan.” Kotetsu’s amber eyes were soft. “Please...”

“I’m not mad,” Karina said, relaxing her arms to open the car door. “Come on. I don’t want to hear how we’re the last to arrive.” She hopped out of the car, closing the door behind her. She heard Kotetsu close his door and waited for him to come over to her side. She took his hand and gave it a small squeeze. “Look, I’m just...I’m not a morning person. This isn’t how I expected this morning to go.”

“Me either,” Kotetsu said, a hint of a blush appearing on his cheeks. “For what it’s worth, I didn’t mean for you to find out that way.” They walked over to the elevator and Kotetsu pressed the ‘Up’ button. The elevator dinged, the doors sliding open.

Entering the elevator, Karina went and rested against the back wall. Kotetsu pushed the button for the top floor, where the Heroes headquarters were located. Once the doors closed, and they were making their way up at an incredible speed, Karina looked at her lover. “Were you going to tell me about it? Or were you hoping it would be something that never came up?”

“Karina...” Kotetsu said. He raised his arm up and began to scratch the back of his neck. “Of course I was going to tell you...”

The elevator opened, revealing a dark office. “Later,” Karina said, walking out of the elevator. She headed to the training room, pushing the door open. She saw that they were indeed the last two to arrive, the others all dressed in their Hero costumes.

“Get dressed.” Agnes said, standing in the middle of the room. “You don’t have a lot of time.”

Karina waved her hand, signaling she heard what the woman said as she went towards the ladies’ locker room. Once inside, she opened her locker and grabbed her spare suit, as it seemed like they weren’t going to be using their normal methods of transportation this morning. She stuffed her clothes into the bottom of her locker, snapping her gloves into place. She headed back out to the training room, and saw Barnaby standing away from everyone, his head down. Unsure of where to sequester herself, she just stood next to Nathan, hoping the man would not be chatty, as it was too early in the morning to deal with it.

“My, someone had some fun last night,” Nathan cooed. She looked up at him, her blue eyes narrowing. She saw him point to his neck, making the blood rush to her cheeks faster than she could say ‘ice cold’. The one time she had let her inhibitions go. _I should have checked my neck and put some make-up on. Too late now. Doubt Agnes will let me go back into the locker room._

Kotetsu raced out of the men’s locker room and skidded to a stop. “Sorry!”

“Yes, well.” Agnes said. “Now that you’re all here, and dressed, here is the situation. It seems as if there is a hostage situation taking place at a house in the slums. It seems that there are two children involved.”

“Why are we all being called in?” Barnaby spoke up from across the room. “I would think for a hostage situation, you would not need all of us to be here.”

“Yes, well,” Agnes said. “There seems to be booby-traps set up all around the perimeter. Do you remember what happened with Jake?”

“Are there dolls?” Ivan asked. “Because, if there are dolls, we should be able to take care of it, yeah?”

Agnes shook her head. “No, they are not dolls. There are robots, and they are armed. They are not disguised as anything except for what they are. It seems that these people mean business.”

“Has anyone found out what they want?” Antonio said, standing towards the back of the room. “Because it might be better if we knew what to bargain with, rather than just charging in.”

The producer of Hero TV shook her head. “They haven’t made any demands yet. This just began to happen about an hour ago. We got a tip from monitoring the police channel.”

“Isn’t that illegal?” Barnaby said, pushing his glasses up on his face.

“If you all are ready, then I think you should go. There may not be many people watching this early in the morning, but points still count.” Agnes said, clearly ignoring Barnaby’s question. Karina did her best to not cover her neck up as she began to walk to the elevator with everyone. “For those of you that normally use a transport, you will be picking up your ride in the garage. We don’t have time to ship everyone out like we normally do.”

Everyone entered the elevator, Karina stuck between both Kotetsu and Barnaby, while the rest of the Heroes were in front of all of them. She kept her head down, feeling the intense heat radiating off of both the men she stood in between. Pinching the bridge of her nose, she hoped that this rescue went faster than the last one. She did not like that she had been hit over the head the night before, with the revelation of the man on her right side and had a one night fling with her new lover. She had been honest with Kotetsu, she couldn’t be mad at him for not saying anything. She didn’t like it, but she wasn’t mad. She was about to say something under her breath to the blonde standing next to her, but the elevator dinged and came to a stop, signaling they had reached their destination.

All piling out of the elevator, Karina headed over to her transport, where her bike was waiting for her, all warmed up and ready to go. She looked over and saw both Kotetsu and Barnaby heading into their transport, to be fitted with their mech suits. What she wouldn’t have given to be a fly in that transport.

But nothing was happening in that transport. Neither Barnaby nor Kotetsu were talking to each other. They both went to their pods, settling in to allow Saito graph their suits onto them. Saito did not speak, as the man was also very tired. Once they were fitted with their suits, Saito spoke quietly.

“Your bikes are outside. Good luck. And don’t damage the suit.”

“Eh?” Kotetsu said, leaning forward. “You need to remember to wear that speaker helmet we got for you. Trying to hear what you’re saying without it is impossible.”

Barnaby scoffed. “If you had just been paying attention, you would have heard him.” He walked out of the transport and walked over to his motorcycle.

“Bunny...” Kotetsu whined, following him out. He sat in the sidecar, hating that he wasn’t going to be driving, unless they had to dislodge from each other.

His partner shot him a look. “Don’t, Kotetsu. Not right now.” He lowered the shield of his helmet and turned to face the front.

Karina saw the two of them, and didn’t know what to make of what was going on. She didn’t have a lot of time to think about it, however, as Nathan peeled out of the parking lot in his flashy, yet fast, car with Antonio in the passenger seat. She looked around and saw that the other three weren’t around, probably having already left with Keith, or on their own accord. Kicking the stand up on her bike, she turned the ignition on. Barnaby took off fast, Kotetsu yelling in the wind. She giggled, and quickly followed the two of them, trying to keep herself calm and focused.

As they neared the target, she looked up and saw the Hero TV dirigible flying around, tracking their movements. She was about to say something, when she heard a terrifying sound. To the left of her, an explosion occurred, pushing her bike across two lanes of traffic. Holding on as tight as she could, she saw that the blast had not affected the two, but saw that instead of remaining together, Barnaby had detached Kotetsu’s bike, so that the two were now both riding on motorcycles.

“Karina! Are you alright?” Kotetsu said over the Heroes secure channel.

“Karina??” Nathan cooed. “Awww....how sweet. He’s calling you by your actual name now.”

Groaning, Karina kept her eyes focused on the road. “Shut it,” she mumbled. “Yeah, I’m fine. Don’t worry about me. You two keep your eyes on the look-out. I don’t know if I triggered something, or we’re being watched and someone isn’t happy with how close we’re getting.”

“Right,” Barnaby said. She watched as he took a turn off the highway, Kotetsu continuing in the original direction. Not wanting the hero to be alone, she followed him. He turned back and looked at her. “What are you doing?”

She leaned forward, pushing her bike to go faster. “You’re not doing this alone. We need to stay together.”

“Be careful!” Kotetsu shouted. “I see the robots Agnes was talking about up ahead. Be on your guard!”

Karina nodded. She let out a scream as Barnaby skidded to a fast stop, making her react fast. She skidded to a stop a few feet behind him. “What the hell, Barnaby?? Why did you do that?!”

“That’s why.” Barnaby pointed in front of them, where a dozen small robots stood. They were all armed, but were not making a move towards them.

She pushed her kickstand down and grabbed her extra ice gun, slipping it into her boot. “What do you suggest?” She walked over to where Barnaby was sitting, still perched on his bike.

“I....I’m not sure. Hit them with your power? I don’t want to activate my power until it’s absolutely necessary.” Barnaby said, turning his pink-helmet towards her.

“Understood.” She walked towards the small robots, each about a foot tall, with small heads and bright red LED eyes. They did not make a move to go towards her, making her worry. _Why aren’t they trying to attack?_ Before she finished her thought, their eyes began to glow yellow, and their gears began working fast. She grabbed her ice gun and quickly shot at the dozen of them, freezing them to their spots. She turned around and grinned. “I got them!”

“Blue Rose, watch out!” Barnaby shouted. She watched as Barnaby raced towards her, and grabbed her by her waist, lifting her up to be bent over his shoulder. She watched as the robots began to melt away the ice and began firing fast.

“Shit!” She held up her ice gun and fired more, trying to making the robots flames die out. Only a few did, but that was more than enough. She saw Ivan sweep in and began to attack them, their bodies yielding to the heavy metal of his suit. She began to hit Barnaby on his back. “I can walk, you know!!”

“We’re close. I don’t want to put you down until we get here. And then we go in, guns blazing.” Barnaby said, still racing fast down the street, heading to where the location of the hostages were.

Antonio came across their headsets. “Listen. Nathan and I are here. You just say the word. We’ve got your back.”

“How many are there?” Barnaby asked, still running. Karina hated that she was being held by him like an incompetent hero. She could only imagine what the viewers were seeing of her, if there were any viewers. _Stupid outfit. Where the hell is Kotetsu??_

They made it to the house, Barnaby finally setting her down. Kotetsu suddenly appeared next to them. “We going in?”

“Yes,” Barnaby said.

She watched as Kotetsu’s suit began to glow faintly, the sign that he had activated his limited power. “Let’s go.”

Keeping her back to the two of them, she watched, her gun drawn, to make sure they didn’t have any surprises hit them from behind. Glass shattered from across the room, where Antonio had dropped into the building. She heard the two children scream, and soon heard nothing. She prayed that one of the other heroes had grabbed them. Once she saw that there was no danger, she turned around and made her way towards the two that were responsible for everything. Shooting ice at them, she froze the two to their spot.

“My ice may be a little cold....but your crime has been put on hold!” She raised up her gun, winking for the camera that was positioned where the window had been before.

Kotetsu walked up behind her, patting her on the back. “Nice work, Blue Rose.” He grinned, flipping the visor up on his helmet.

“No thanks to you,” Barnaby scoffed. He took two pairs of handcuffs from his suit and placed them on the two suspects. “Who took the children?”

“Antonio,” Kotetsu said, groaning. “Bunny-chan! Why didn’t you give me one of the handcuffs??”

The pink-armored man shrugged his shoulders. “Does it matter?”

“Yes! I didn’t get any points.” Kotetsu grumbled.

Barnaby looked at the camera man. “Can you stop broadcasting, please?” The camera man nodded and turned the camera off, heading back to the Hero TV van that was parked down the street. Barnaby looked at his partner. “You didn’t get any points because you didn’t think. Sorry, oji-san, but that’s the way it is.”

Karina looked at Ivan. “Would you mind rounding the others up? We’ll be back at headquarters soon. I’m sure Pao-Lin and Keith could use some help.” She waited for Ivan to nod and scurry out of there. Once she saw that they were finally alone, she spoke. “Can you two just stop being assholes to each other for a second?” Karina said, walking over to them. She saw the two of their faces look at her in shock. “What? You both are acting stupid.” She looked at Barnaby.

“Look, I’m sorry he didn’t tell you about me. We hadn’t made it official until last night. He wasn’t keeping a secret from you. It’s just how things worked out.” She looked at Kotetsu. “And you. Why didn’t you tell me about what happened?”

“Karina-chan....I....” Kotetsu raised his arm, attempting to scratch the back of his neck, but settled on placing his hand on the back of his neck.

Barnaby sighed. “It’s my fault.”

Karina looked at the blonde. “How so? I would say if it was anyone’s fault, it would be Kotetsu’s.”

“Guys, I’m right here.” Kotetsu said, waving his hand.

Barnaby shook his head. “No, it isn’t. I got drunk. I got stupid. Like the two of you, he and I had an agreement to never speak of it again. It happened once. Only once. It’s my fault for holding onto it, making it into something that it wasn’t. I knew that it wasn’t, but I couldn’t let go of my hope.”

“Bunny-chan...” Kotetsu said.

“Enough,” Karina said, holding up a gloved hand to Kotetsu. She looked at Barnaby. “Look, if I had thought that there was anything going on, you must know that I would not have done what I did.”

“I know that,” Barnaby spoke quietly. “Like I said, this is all my misunderstanding. I can see that he cares for you.”

Blushing, Karina looked down at the ground. “I wouldn’t go that far, Barnaby-san.”

“I’m sorry I came over last night,” Barnaby said, looking back and forth between the two of them. “It was very rude of me to do that. And I blame the alcohol for the way I acted.” Green eyes locked onto Kotetsu’s. “Oji-san...”

Kotetsu shook his head. “It’s me that should apologize. I should have told you I was interested in her. I should have made it clear. I know you and I don’t have a lot of friends, so we rely on each other. I should have been more honest with you, too.”

“Can we pretend that last night didn’t happen?” Barnaby asked, his voice thick with emotion. “I feel like such a fool.”

Shaking her head, Karina gave Barnaby a soft smile. “Look, it’s done and over with. How about we just....move on? Yes, he and I are a couple now, but I’m not going to be some girl that just takes her boyfriend away from his friends.”

“A-Alright,” Barnaby nodded his head. He began to walk back out of the house.

Catching up to him, Karina placed a hand on his shoulder. “Let’s all just move on.” She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. “I really don’t want you to hate me, or him, because of this new relationship.”

“I can’t hate either of you,” Barnaby said. He walked off, heading towards his bike.

Kotetsu came up behind her. “That was...unexpected, Karina-chan.”

“Look, I know I can’t get between your friendship. Nor do I want to. But, you and I are lovers now. That has to be recognized. And I’m fine with forgetting about last night happened. I know the truth. And that’s that. It happened once. That’s it. Both you and he have said that, so I know that’s the truth.”

She left Kotetsu there, standing by himself as she made her way to her bike, which was now all alone. Barnaby had taken off, leaving the two of them alone. “Are we going back to headquarters?” Kotetsu asked.

“Yep.” Karina straddled her bike and revved it up. “See you back there?” She didn’t wait for his answer, taking off down the highway.

As she made her way back into the garage, she saw Barnaby coming out of the trailer, dressed in his workout clothes. He raised his hand up, waving at her. She waved back, then gracefully stopped her bike in front of her own transport. Hopping off the bike, she rolled it into her transport and made her way to the elevator. She saw that Barnaby had waited for her, keeping the elevator doors open.

“Thank you,” she said, stepping into the small space. She pressed the button, and the elevator rose up. She looked over at Barnaby and saw that he was looking everywhere else but her. She giggled and kept her thoughts to herself, happy when the elevator stopped to reveal their floor.

The second elevator dinged next to them, Kotetsu walking out at the same time. “How did...?” She asked, shocked that she hadn’t seen and/or heard him enter the parking garage.

“Magic.” He wiggled his eyebrows. She shook her head as she headed into the training room, following the two men in front of her.

Agnes was sitting in the middle of the room. “Nice work, Heroes.”

“Can I go change?” Karina asked.

“Yes.”

Not waiting to listen to the woman’s silly pep talk, she wandered into the bathroom. Feeling gross and grimy, she decided she wanted to hop into the shower after stripping off her costume. Grabbing her toiletries, she headed to one of the stalls and turned the water on. Making sure the water was nice and hot, she quickly got in and began to wash up. Once she was finished with her quick rinse-off, she turned the water off and wrapped a towel around her. Stepping out of the shower, she let out a loud squeak.

“Sorry, sweetie.” Nathan cooed, putting on some make-up. “I should have made a little bit of noise.”

She shook her head. “No, no. It’s fine. I just wasn’t expecting anyone else in here.” She kept her towel wrapped tightly around her body. “What are you doing in here, anyway?”

“Touching up my make-up. Agnes finally left all of us, after complimenting you, Barnaby and Antonio. Did I get any thanks for shuttling the kids to safety? Nope. But I got 100 points, so that’s better than nothing.” Nathan shut his compact mirror. “Is it true about you and Wild Tiger?”

Karina nodded her head. “Yes, it’s true.”

“Wonderful!” Nathan walked over to her and placed a kiss on her cheek. “He’s such a handsome man.”

A blush crossed Karina’s cheeks. “I suppose he is.”

“Anyway, I’ll let you get dressed. See you soon?” Nathan walked out of the girl’s locker room.

Heading back over to her locket, Karina wasn’t quite sure what to make of that conversation she had just had with Nathan. She got dressed and began to feel the events of the morning start to wear on her. Heading out to the training facility, she saw Kotetsu waiting for her. “Sorry to take so long.” She walked over to him.

“It’s fine.” He gave her a bright smile. “You hungry?”

Her stomach growled at the mere mention of food. “Yes!”

“Come on, let’s go grab a bite to eat.” Kotetsu said, taking her hand as they walked to the elevator together. “Any place okay?”

Stepping into the elevator, Karina moved so that she was pressing Kotetsu against the back wall. “Your place?” She let her lips brush against his, the feel of his facial hair against her chin sending shivers through her body.

“M-My place...” Kotetsu groaned, wrapping his arms around her waist. “Good...idea...”

The elevator opened on the parking garage. Stepping away, Karina smirked. “I thought so.” She walked over to Kotetsu’s SUV, her stomach fluttering in anticipation. The doors unlocked automatically, allowing her to hop into the vehicle and buckle herself in quickly.

“Back to my place, then.” Kotetsu got into the car, buckled up and put the key into the ignition.

…

* * *

**A/N:** See? Not too much yaoi. Up next, breakfast. This weekend isn’t over yet. ^_^ Thanks for reading!


	13. Chapter 13

Pulling into his driveway, Kotetsu looked over and saw that Karina had dozed off during the short ride back to his place. Smiling, he put the car into park, being as quiet as possible, and got out of the car. Walking over to the passenger side, he opened the door carefully, thankful that the hinge didn’t make too much noise. Watching Karina sleep with a peaceful look on her face was making his heart ache, in a good way. He unbuckled her belt and delicately lifted her up out of the car, cradling her in his arms. Closing the car door quietly, he carried her up the small flight of stairs to his front door.

Once inside, he stepped with ease up the flight of stairs, taking her into his bedroom and laying her down gently on the bed. She continued to snore softly, undisturbed by his movements. He left her in his room, and headed back down the stairs. He tried to figure out just what he wanted to make for breakfast, as he was still exhausted, but wanted to do something nice for his girlfriend upstairs.

_Girlfriend...Can I call her that now? I want to, I just want to make sure she understands what she’s getting into with me._ He sighed, running a hand through his messy hair, and began to stroke his goatee thoughtfully. _Do I tell Kaede?_ He shook his head at his own thoughts, opening his fridge to see what was inside. _No, she doesn’t need to know until Karina graduates high school. Besides, we’re just dating. It’s not like what I had with her mother..._ Grabbing the carton of eggs and a small package of bacon, he closed the fridge and headed over to the small stove.

Whisking the eggs in the bowl, his thoughts continued to plague him. _What if she_ is _like what I had with Tomoe? Would that be so bad?_ Once he saw the pan was hot enough, he put the bacon on and listened to the fat begin to pop and sizzle. _I would think that she would be happy that I’m moving on with my life. I really haven’t been with anyone since her in a relationship._ He didn’t really have flings, except that one time, and he intended to keep it that way. He liked being in a committed relationship, he felt it brought more to the table.

Kotetsu poured the eggs into a skillet and letting the pan begin to cook them. He wandered back over to the fridge and grabbed some shredded cheese out of the door and grabbed the rubber spatula. Beginning to fold the eggs over, he lightly sprinkled the cheese in. _Who’s the say she won’t find someone younger? Someone more on her level when she’s out of high school?_ His stomach dropped at the thought of her still in school, but then remembered that she was extremely close to graduating, and was almost of age. They were two consenting adults who were becoming invested in one another, both in a friendship and sexual manner. _Are we?_

The eggs finished cooking fast, so he set them on a plate to cool down while he turned the bacon over. It had been a very long time since he had made someone breakfast, as he tended to take Kaede out to a diner for food whenever she was in town. He always gave the excuse that he only knew how to cook fried rice, but he really knew a lot more than just that. He just disliked having to do dishes. Looking at the percolator, he decided to brew some coffee. He couldn’t remember if Karina had ever had coffee in the office, or had just drank the water, as he only really saw her at Apollon to train or when she was called into an all Hero meeting. _Well, if she doesn’t drink it, I will. I have tea and we still have champagne in the fridge. Maybe I’ve got juice, and she can have a mimosa._ Shaking his head, he flipped the bacon once more and began to take it off the pan, setting the strips on a paper towel to allow the oil to drain. Taking the pan, he poured the excess grease into a tin can he procured from underneath the small sink.

After the coffee finished brewing, he popped some bread into the small toaster he had and waited patiently for the bread to toast. Once two slices were done, he put two more in, and began to pour coffee into two mugs. He put the shredded cheese back in the fridge and grabbed the small container of half and half, noticing that the date had not passed yet, so he knew the liquid would not make his lover sick. _Lover? Girlfriend? Why can’t I make up my mind?_ He thought that it was probably because there was a part of him afraid of the label the second one carried. He placed the food on a tray, placing the two coffee mugs and creamer last on the tray, and began his trek up the stairs, using the minimal balance he had in him.

He walked into the bedroom and saw that Karina was still sleeping peacefully. He set the tray on the nightstand by his side of the bed, making sure that it wasn’t going to tip. Sitting down on the bed, he leaned down and let his lips graze against Karina’s lightly, giving her a feather-light kiss. She let out a soft sigh and began to blink her eyes as he pulled away from her. Grinning, he sat back and watched as she sat up and let out a loud yawn.

“I fell....asleep...?” Karina yawned once more, stretching her arms out. She lifted her head and sniffed the air. “Mmmm....is that food I smell?” Her stomach gave an appreciative rumble. She blushed deeply and covered her stomach, embarrassment apparent on her face.

Kotetsu gave her a warm smile. “That is food. I cooked some breakfast. Would you like your plate? I also made coffee. But if you don’t want it, it’s fine. I can brew some hot tea for you, or if you’d like I can make you a mim-”

“Kotetsu!” She said, placing her hand over his mouth. He stopped talking immediately and stared into her auburn eyes. “Coffee is wonderful. Is that cream I spy?”

He shook his head. “It’s half and half.” His answer came out muffled with her hand still over his lips, but it seemed that she understood what he said.

“That’s good, because I actually prefer half and half in my coffee.” She uncovered his mouth and sat back on the bed.

Handing her the half and half and her coffee mug, he smiled. “Did you get enough sleep?”

“Not really...” She yawned again. “Hopefully you make your coffee strong?”

“I do,” Kotetsu informed her. He took back the half and half and set it back down. He handed her a plate. “I think I may have made it very strong this morning, as I’m very tired myself. But some of us didn’t have the luxury of taking a nap.” He winked at her, earning a giggle out of her.

She set the plate on her lap. “Um....Kotetsu?”

“Yes? What is it? Did I overcook the eggs? I thought I had done a good job.” He said, picking up his own plate.

Karina shook her head. “No, it’s not that. It’s just...how do you want me to eat the food? With the piece of toast?”

“AH!” He slammed his hand on his forehead. “I forgot utensils! Sit tight, I’ll be right back.” He jumped up off the bed and made his way back down the stairs. Fumbling for two forks, he quickly raced back up the stairs, and presented the utensil to Karina. “For you.”

“Arigatou,” she flashed him another smile, her fingers brushing against his own as she took it from his hands. Kotetsu felt the hair on the back of his neck begin to prickle at the small touch, and he could see the same reaction occurring in Karina’s body. Well, he hoped it was the same, because if it wasn’t, they were going to be in for a very long day. _Maybe I can take her out this afternoon._

He sat back down on the bed and placed his plate back in his lap. “How is it?” He waited to eat, allowing her to enjoy her food first. He saw her face light up as she chewed her food.

“It’s delicious!” Karina praised him. “What gives? I thought you didn’t cook.”

He laughed. “Oh, I cook. I just tell people I don’t. But, for you? I’ll cook whenever you’d like.”

“Really?” Her cheeks became rosy once more.

“Unless you’d rather I take you out? Because I can do that as well,” Kotetsu said, going back on what he had just said. “It’s really up to you, Karina-chan.”

She chewed her food, lost in thought. “I suppose I wouldn’t mind both...” She picked up her coffee and took her first sip, letting out another soft contented sigh. “Marvelous coffee, Kotetsu.”

“And now it is my turn to say thank you,” Kotetsu couldn’t keep the smile off his face. _It seems like she’s really pleased!_

They ate in comfortable silence, both enjoying the simple meal. Once they were done, he grabbed Karina’s plate and set it on top of his. “Do you mind if I go and take care of these dishes?”

“I don’t mind,” Karina shook her head. “Would you like my help?”

“No, no.” Kotetsu shook his head as he picked up the tray. “You just relax. Want me to bring up some more coffee when I’m done?”

Karina nodded her head. “That would be wonderful.”

“Then I will.” He walked out of the room and headed back downstairs.

After he finished washing all the dishes and setting them out to dry, he grabbed the small percolator and headed back upstairs. When he got into his bedroom, he stopped in the doorway, staring at the vision that was laying on his bed. While he had been doing the dishes, it seemed that Karina had made herself more comfortable by removing all of her clothes, except for her small lace panties and matching black bra that barely contained her large breasts. His jaw became slack as his eyes raked over her body.

“Kotetsu...” Karina’s voice was hushed. “Are you just going to stand there? Or did you want to come over to the bed and lay with me?”

“Oh, I want to lay with you, alright,” he said, his body responding to hers almost instantaneously. He set the percolator down, deciding that it was more important to start removing his own clothes. He quickly unbuttoned his vest, having not removed it like he normally did when he got home, as he had had his arms full with the girl, no, woman, laying next to him in the bed. He let it fall to the floor and hurriedly unbuttoned his green shirt, letting it fall to the fall with his vest. Stripping out of his pants, he left his black boxer briefs on, and quickly laid back down on the bed, reaching for Karina.

She found her way into his arms, resting against his chest. “Hi,” she lifted her head and smiled up at him. “Decided to keep your underwear on, hmm?”

“I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable,” Kotetsu said, laying a kiss on the top of her head. “I’d be more than happy to remove them for you, if you’d like?”

Lifting herself out of his embrace, she began to scatter kisses against the plane of his chest. “I think I can take care of that for you...” She placed her hands on his hips and began to push the offending fabric down, his very erect arousal popping out of its confines, almost hitting her in the face.

Kotetsu’s groan of embarrassment sent Karina into a fit of giggles. “Why are you laughing?” He asked her, his face flushed with both desire and mortification at what almost happened. He lifted his hips up, his boxer briefs traveling down the length of his body.

“Nothing. That was just cute and funny all at the same time,” she kissed his upper thigh. “And you shouldn’t be embarrassed, Kotetsu. I’m the one that did it. I should have thought that my attire had probably made you aroused.” She looked up at him, her auburn eyes burning with lust.

He kept his hands at his side, afraid if he put them in her hair, she would take offense. _Still have a few kinks to work out in here, but that’s what makes this fun._ He met her eyes and groaned low, this groan full of want. “Of course your body made me aroused. Everything about you makes me aroused, Karina.” No -chan afterwards, because he didn’t want her to feel cute right now. He wanted to empower her with the sexual prowess he knew he was awakening in her.

She looked down and glanced at his arousal, and without a second thought, wrapped her hand around the base of him. He leaned his head back, groaning at the warmth of her hand, and how soft the skin felt against his own. He kept his eyes closed, not wanting to intimidate her, and just allowed her to keep the lead.

“K-Kotetsu?” Her voice wavered a slight bit, making his eyes snap open.

“Is something the matter?” He asked her, his voice full of concern.

Shaking her head, he saw that her face was telling him something different. He reached down and stilled her hand, which had been continuing to stroke him slowly, almost at an antagonistically slow pace. “Tell me what’s on your mind, Karina.” He looked into her eyes, wanting her to know that whatever it was, it wouldn’t be a problem.

“I......I....” Karina quickly turned her head to the side. “It’s silly.”

He let go of her hand. “Nothing is silly when it comes to matters in here, Karina. Just tell me what’s on your mind? Was there something else you’d rather be doing than touching me?” He figured it was best to tackle the issue head on, and ran the risk of making their adventure end abruptly.

“Kind of...” Her voice was barely audible.

He lifted her head up to look at him. “Kind of? What does that mean?”

“I....There’s something I wanted to try...”

Kotetsu’s mouth dropped open in surprise. “Really? Like what?” He couldn’t even fathom what she was going to suggest, as he thought they had covered a lot of ground already.

“I....”

He chuckled softly. “Karina, just say it. Never be afraid to suggest something to me, okay? Just because you think it’s embarrassing doesn’t mean I feel the same way. Besides, this is a two-way street in here. If there is something you want to try, I am of open mind.”

“You know, you make this so easy,” she said, crawling back up to be closer to his face. “I...I don’t think I can look at you when I ask.” The scarlet blush that crossed her visage made his heart swell once more at how adorable she was, how cute her innocence was in regards to everything.

He tilted his head to the left. “Why don’t you whisper it into my ear, then? I won’t look at you. Will that make you feel more at ease?”

“Yes, please,” her voice became a bit more confident at his subtle suggestion. “You promise not to laugh?”

Kotetsu nodded his head, and kept his voice soft. “Of course, Karina.” He awaited with baited breath for what she was going to ask him. He felt the swell of her breasts press up against his back, sending a shiver through his body at the gentle touch. Her hair fell over onto his chest as she leaned closer to his ear.

“Can we....” She spoke into his ear, her voice shaking a little from nerves. “Can we try to sixty-nine, Kotetsu?” She pulled away fast from him.

His eyes widened at the question, shocked and amazed that she was suggesting such a thing. He kept his head turned, not wanting her to retreat back into herself if he looked at her when answering her question. “If that’s what you would like to do, then I don’t see why we can’t.” He could feel himself growing more aroused at the idea of the two of them in that position, and was beyond thrilled that she was the one to suggest it. “May...may I look at you now?”

“Yes,” she said.

Turning over, he pulled her closer to him and kissed her gently at first, but as soon as her lips parted for him, he pushed his tongue into her mouth and began to kiss her deeply. Their tongues stroked against each other, both breathing through their noses heavily, not wanting to stop their intense kissing session. However, it became necessary for them to break apart. Kotetsu gulped down air, Karina following suit. Pulling back, he touched her face gently. “Karina, I want you to never be afraid to ask me to do things, okay? I know that must have been nerve wracking to ask me that. But don’t you feel better now, knowing that I’m okay with it?”

She nodded her head, hiding her face against his chest. “Yes.”

He chuckled softly. “Oh, Karina. What am I going to do with you?” He kissed her forehead. “Come on. If you want to do this, now it’s your turn to take off the rest of your clothes.” He rubbed her back, and like an experienced old pro that he was, he unclasped her bra for her. “Whoops,” he smirked, keeping her close.

“Whoops my ass,” she muttered, a soft giggle betraying her fake anger. She pulled away from him and slid her bra off her body, exposing her breasts to him. She pushed her panties off of her body and let both items fall off on her side of the bed. Now they were both naked, with nowhere to hide. “So.....how do we do this?” She asked, pushing some hair behind her ear in a nervous gesture.

He thought about it. “It’ll probably be easier if we lay side by side, rather than have you on top of me.” It had been a very, very long time since he had done this. “If that doesn’t work, we’ll figure something else out.”

“How can you be so....nonchalant?” She asked, laying down on her side, her head by his feet. “How’s this?”

Kotetsu laid next to her, resting his hand on her hip. “Years of practice? Is that what you want to hear?” He looked down at her and flashed her a big smile. “That’s not it, though. I just find sex a lot more fun if you engage in it with your partner.” He tried not to push his hips forward with her so close to his arousal. “Are you ready?” He looked down at her. “If it’s too much, we can stop. Just tap me, okay?”

“O-Okay...” She nodded her head. “So, we just...?”

Instead of giving her an answer, he lowered his head to her center and placed a soft kiss against her opening. He heard her gasp, and soon felt her lips surround his arousal, sucking on the crown gently. Groaning, he took his hand and spread her folds open, and darted his tongue out, licking at the moist center. He felt her suck harder on him at the action, making him moan loud as he began to lick her, letting his tongue tickle her. He kept her open to him, dipping his tongue deep inside her warm channel, groaning low as her wetness spread against his tongue, her scent filling his nostrils. He groaned as he felt her hands on his hips, pulling him closer to her mouth, swallowing him down further. Kotetsu wasn’t sure how much longer he was going to be able to hold off his release with how good her mouth felt. Lifting his head up a little, he wrapped his lips around the top of her mound, sucking on the small folds gently, earning a loud moan from Karina. He kept sucking gently as the tip of his tongue darted against the folds. After a few seconds of teasing her, he found her clitoris, and began to let the tip of tongue rub against it fast. He felt her begin to buck her hips towards him, pushing herself against his mouth more. He moaned as he felt her tongue begin to rub up and down his arousal, making it almost impossible to concentrate on pleasing her. He felt her begin to throb against his tongue and soon felt her entire body shake against him, her moans loud as she paused momentarily sucking on him. He knew she was climaxing, and kept his tongue going, wanting to make her fly over and over. He could feel her nails digging into his hips, but he didn’t care. The more pleasure she received the happier he was. He felt her shudder hard once more, her second climax more powerful than the first as he heard her cries of passion. He stopped licking at her nub and went back to the gentle suction motion, and was rewarded with her sucking on him with vigor. Without warning, he pushed against her mouth and came, moaning low as he felt her mouth suck on him, swallowing down his essence. He shuddered hard, his body pleased with how she handled him.

Relaxing the grip he had on her, he gave her one last lick, lapping up the sweet secretions from her climax, making her moan softly. Once he felt she was clean enough, he pulled away from her and let out a low groan as she let him slip out of his mouth, his arousal becoming flaccid. He wiped his chin, and saw her smiling up at him. “Well?” He asked, reaching down for her. She came willingly, and resituated herself against his chest.

“That was...” She hugged him tightly, unable to express just what that was. And he was perfectly okay with that.

Chuckling softly, he held her close to him. “I must concur.”

“Nap time?” Karina let out a soft yawn. “After all that yummy food, and...well....”

“Multiple orgasms?” Kotetsu couldn’t help but gloat at being able to give her that. She giggled and nodded her head. “Has that ever happened before like that?”

She shook her head. “Not in quick succession like that. With you, yes, I’ve come a few times, but always with a little bit of space between each one.” She laughed quietly. “Wow, you’re right. It is easier to just talk about this.”

“I told you,” Kotetsu said, hugging her close. “Get some sleep, Karina-chan. When you wake up, we can do whatever you’d like.”

Letting out another soft yawn, Karina nodded. “Mmm...anything...?”

“Anything.” Kotetsu hugged her tightly. “Sweet dreams, my beautiful.” He listened to her gentle snores, keeping her close to him.

…

* * *

**A/N:**  Up next, a fun afternoon for these two. ^_^ Thanks for reading!


	14. Chapter 14

After a few hours of sleep, Karina woke up alone in the bed once more. “K-Kotetsu?” She yawned, hoping that wherever he was, he’d be able to hear her. When she didn’t hear his response, she got up from the bed, not bothering to put on any clothes. She walked out of the room and could hear the shower running. Heading to the bathroom, she saw that the door was slightly ajar. Pushing it open without make a sound, she bit her lower lip to not burst out laughing.

Kotetsu was singing as loud as he could, his voice bouncing off the shower walls as he bathed beneath the steady stream of water. Karina saw that he had set the toilet seat cover down, so she quietly set herself down on the plastic lid, hoping that he couldn’t hear her movements. With how loud he was singing, she was fairly certain he could not.

The water shut off after he finished singing. Keeping her lips shut tightly, she waited patiently for the man to pull back the shower curtain. _Let’s see what he’s going to do in three....two...._

“Karina!!” Kotetsu yelped, pulling the shower curtain back to hide his lower half. She burst out laughing, shaking her head. “How long have you been in here?!”

Once her laughter died down, she placed her hand on his, the one that was holding the shower curtain. “Why are you covering yourself up?” Her voice was breathless from giggling too much. “Why are you shy around me all of a sudden?”

He let go of the shower curtain, revealing his sopping wet body. “I’m not shy,” Kotetsu’s cheeks were telling her something else. “How long have you been here?”

“Oh....” She began to sing the song he was singing, thoroughly enjoying watching his cheeks become a brighter crimson than they had been before. She stopped singing as she laughed more. “Does that answer your question?”

Kotetsu grabbed a towel from the towel rack and wrapped it around his waist, his cheeks still inflamed. “Cute, Karina-chan.”

“Awww....Kotetsu!” She watched him step out of the shower. “Your hair looks quite silly.”

He shook his head, droplets of water landing on her skin. She squealed, not appreciating the sudden douse of water on her. “Are you saying you don’t like my hair flat?” He grinned, shaking his hair more.

Squealing more, she shook her head. “I didn’t say that! I just said....gah!! Stop getting me wet!”

“That isn’t what you said earlier,” Kotetsu pulled her up from where she was sitting, whispering in her ear. Sending tremors through her body as his voice rang in her ears.

She spoke softly, “You know that isn’t what I meant...” She hid her face against the side of his neck, not caring that his chest was still wet, effectively making her own chest wet with moisture.

“Ah, well....forgive me, then.” His cheek scraped the side of her neck, his short stubble grazing her skin. “Are you going to let me finish up in here?” He chuckled, his arms falling down, letting her out of his embrace.

Blushing, she nodded and looked down. “Of course. Do you mind if I take a quick shower?” She glanced back up and saw that he was standing in front of the bathroom sink, reaching for the shaving cream.

“Why would I?” Kotetsu grinned, spraying some of the white foam into his hand.

She stepped into the shower and turned the water on. “I don’t know??” She turned the water so that it was not too hot, but not too cold.

“Did you think of anything to do this afternoon, Karina-chan?” Kotetsu said loud enough to be heard over the running water.

Washing her hair, she nodded, then forgot that he couldn’t see her. “I think so.”

“Care to share with me what you’d like to do?”

Karina heard his voice tease her playfully. “Give me a second,” She said, rinsing her hair out. Once she was finished, she picked up the soap and began to wash her body. “I was thinking that maybe we could go to the zoo?”

“The zoo, hmm?” Kotetsu said, pulling back the shower curtain. She looked at him and giggled, trying not to blush as she kept washing her body. She could smell his aftershave, which sent her heart into overdrive, as well as her body. “I think we can manage that.”

She put her soapy hand on his chest and gently pushed him away. “Mind if I finish up in here?” She laughed when she heard him grumble at being pushed away. Peeking out from behind the curtain, she met his amber eyes. “It’s not that I don’t want you to stay, Kotetsu...”

“Hai,” His cheeks dusted with pink once more. “I understand.” He gave a small bow of his head. “I’ll be in the bedroom, then.” He left her alone in the bathroom, keeping the door slightly ajar to allow the steam to have someplace to go.

Turning around, she faced the spray, thinking about the last time the two had been in this shower, and how she had forced herself to stop. Her body began to respond to those thoughts, against her will. As her fingers moved across her chest, she felt her nipples become sensitive to the lightest touch. Leaning her head forward, she closed her eyes. Biting her lip to not make any noise, she moved her fingers across her hardening nipples. As waves of pleasure began to cascade over her body, she felt two large hands cup both of her breasts.

“I lied,” Kotetsu’s baritone timbre declared in her left ear. She let out a soft moan as both sets of fingers began to rub across her nipples. “Does this feel good, Karina...?”

She arched her back as both hands cupped her gently, while both his index finger and thumb began to gently twist each nipple. “Oh.....” She couldn’t respond properly, as his fingers were making her forget just what she had been doing. The lather of the soap, the spray of the water, the soft breaths of Kotetsu’s against her neck were sending her body into overdrive.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” Kotetsu murmured into her ear, twisting each nipple gently. She cried out, pushing her hips back at the slight change of touch. “Does someone want more...?” He licked the side of her ear, gently pinching both nipples simultaneously.

“Yes!!” She moaned as she felt his fingers twist as he continued to pinch her. “Oh....please..” Karina pushed her hips back, moaning as she could feel how turned on he was. She twisted her body to face him, his hands following her movements, only off of her breasts for a few short seconds.

Kotetsu gently pushed her back against the shower wall. “You’re not going to tell me you want to go to the bedroom, are you...?” His nail raked over her left nipple, making the hair on her body rise up as a quick shiver raced through her body.

“No.....I....promise...” She wrapped her left leg around his waist, reaching between their bodies. She found what she was looking for, his thick girth barely fitting into her small hand. Placing the tip at her entrance, she let out a soft sigh as he teased her, not allowing her to push it all the way in. She removed her hand and placed it on his shoulder. “K-Kotetsu....”

His soft cheek rubbed the side of her neck, leaving traces of his aftershave on her skin. “May I, Karina...?” He kept himself out of her, the tip just barely pushing its way into her silken folds. “I can still stop...”

“D-Don’t you dare...” She groaned, gently digging her nails into his shoulders.

With one quick thrust, he was buried deep inside her, making her see stars behind her closed eyelids. She couldn’t get enough of how good he felt inside of her, really and truly inside of her, no barriers between the two of them. Every time she felt him push into her body, it made her heart soar, her body spasm, and her vocal chords rub together to create a loud moan. She gripped his shoulders more as she felt his hand on her waist, gripping her body to thrust into her at a faster pace. She let out a particularly loud moan as he pushed against her special spot at the same exact time his body rocked against that spot that resided at the top of her womanhood. She pushed back against him, making him hit her in the same fashion once more. She didn’t care that she was clawing his shoulders, all she cared about was reaching that orgasm she could feel that she was so close to. After one particular thrust of his hips, she let out a silent cry as her inner walls began to squeeze around him, her orgasm hit her full force. Kotetsu pushed himself deeper inside of her, prolonging her orgasm by a few more seconds, as he released inside of her, groaning low into her ear as he held her close to him.

Relaxing his grip on her waist, Kotetsu reached around him and gently pulled her leg down, nuzzling the side of her neck. “Well....that was quick.”

“So?” She giggled, kissing his lips softly before he slipped out of her body. She shivered at the loss of warmth, but quickly moved herself to stand under the spray of water, as she could feel the aftermath of their session beginning to trail down her inner thighs. “Did you come?”

Kotetsu blushed at her brazen words. “Of course, Karina-chan. I mean, you did too, yes?”

“I did,” she reached down, wincing as she brushed against her swollen clitoris, trying to wash everything off of her. “So, since we both came, why should it matter if it was quick or not?”

“I mean, I suppose it doesn’t, but I want to worship your body for long periods of time, Karina,” Kotetsu stood behind her, washing himself off with the trail off of water.

Giggling, she reached up and angled the showerhead to hit her directly down on her groin, taking the soap and washing up down there. “How about we do that tonight when we get back? The idea of you worshipping my body sound pretty spectacular.”

“Deal,” Kotetsu said, grabbing the soap from her, quickly washing himself off.

The two finished their shower, both feeling much better as they began to get ready for their afternoon. As Karina put on her simple t shirt advertising Pepsi NEX, and a pair of jean shorts, she took a deep breath and smiled. “I still smell like you,” she giggled as she watched Kotetsu slip on his traditional green button up shirt. “Don’t you own anything else, ojii-san?”

“Karina!!” He groaned at the name. She laughed as he slipped on his socks. “I happen to like this color. What’s wrong with it?”

“Nothing at all,” Karina said, picking up his vest off the floor and handed it to him. “However, perhaps our next date, you can think outside the box....?”

Kotetsu grinned. “I think I can probably manage that.” He picked her up in his arms, carrying her bridal style. She laughed and shook her head, playfully struggling to get out of his grip as he carried her down the stairs.

“Kotetsu!!”

He kept his arms around her as they reached the bottom step. “Yes, Karina-chan?” He asked, looking down into her auburn eyes. _So beautiful._

A blush crossed her face as she closed her eyes, hiding from his intense gaze. “N-Nothing..”

Setting her down, he playfully smacked her backside. “You’re a terrible liar.”

“So?” She giggled, rubbing her back where he had hit her. “And what gives? Pervert.” She stuck her tongue out at him as she slipped her sandals on her feet.

Kotetsu clutched his chest. “Ouch, Karina-chan. First, ojii-san. Now, pervert?? What’s next? A combination of both those terms?”

Picking up her purse, she giggled and rolled her eyes. “You know, you’re a lot sillier than I thought you would be.”

“Oh? What does that mean?” He grabbed his newsboy cap and placed it on his head. Kotetsu picked up his keys and opened the front door for her.

She walked outside, quickly pulling her sunglasses from her purse and placed them on her face. There was slight breeze, making the afternoon weather extremely pleasant to be in. She stood next to Kotetsu’s SUV, waiting for him to unlock it. Once it was unlocked, she hopped in and buckled herself in. She looked at him, and grinned. “It means that I always expected you to be rather serious outside of work. But apparently, the person you are at work is the same person you are at home.”

“Why would I not be?”

Blushing, she hugged her purse to her chest. “I...I don’t know?”

“You’re cute, Karina-chan.” Kotetsu chuckled as he pulled out of the driveway and began to drive towards the center of Sternbild, where the zoo was located.

Once they arrived there, they parked the car and walked towards the front gate. Karina looked up at her lover and debated about whether or not she should hold his hand. She knew that the two had decided to make it official the night before, but it was one thing to be that way with each other in front of their comrades, but to the outside world? Before she could think about it more, he looked down at her and flashed her a bright smile before taking her hand in his, and squeezed it gently.

“Want to pretend we’re here on an assignment?” Kotetsu asked, pulling his domino mask from his pants pocket. “I mean, we could get into stuff faster.”

Laughing, she shook her head. “No, please. I’d like to just be normal for the afternoon, if that’s alright with you?”

He pulled her into a close hug. “Of course, Karina-chan. I tend to forget that you probably don’t like your powers as much as you should.”

“It’s not that,” she spoke quietly as she held onto him. “I just...”

“Don’t worry about it.” Kotetsu pulled away from her and smiled another bright smile.

They walked over to the ticket booth and purchased two tickets, and headed to the front gate. “Where do you want to start first?” Kotetsu asked, as they stood in front of the large park map.

“Panda exhibit?” Karina asked, seeing that the exhibit was to their left and towards the back of the park.

Kotetsu nodded. “Okay. Have a thing for pandas, do you?”

“They’re so....kawaii!” Karina giggled. “How can anyone _not_ have a thing for pandas?” She took his hand and began to drag him down the hill. “Come on! It said on the map that their feeding time just happened.”

Holding onto his newsboy cap, he allowed her to pull him with ease. He grinned, pleased that it was already going so well, and they had only just arrived. She skidded to a stop suddenly as she saw an animal that was called panda, but certainly didn’t look like one. “Kotetsu!!” She squealed, pointing to the two red pandas that were frolicking in their jungle habitat. “Look!”

He paused behind her and looked at the furry animals. “They don’t look like pandas to me. I thought you wanted to see the ones that were black and white and fat.”

“They’re not fat!” She hit him playfully on the arm. He groaned and rubbed the area where her arm had just struck. “Oh, whatever. I didn’t hit you that hard.”

He held his hand up to his forehead and pretended to be in extreme amounts of pain. “I...I don’t think I can go on, Karina-chan. I can feel my life slipping away...” His caterwaul drew attention to them as she scrambled to cover his mouth, laughing.

“Baka! Quit it!” She laughed as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a tight hug. “Oof! Too hard!” She giggled as his hug around her tightened more.

Kotetsu shook his head, keeping her in his embrace. “It is not. You know you like it.”

“I...I do..” A faint blush appeared on her face.

As he set her down back on terra firma, he took her hand. They watched the few red pandas that the zoo had, not noticing any of the other zoo patrons. “Look Mommy! Look at that man and his daughter!” A little boy pointed to the two of them, looking at Karina, giggling at the two of them.

She felt her stomach drop at that suggestion, unsure why she would even care. She knew that he was older than her, but for them to assume that he was her father just gave her the creeps. She felt his hand on her shoulder. “Don’t listen to them,” Kotetsu spoke quietly, so no one else could hear around them. “You know that’s definitely not how I see you as.”

Nodding, she kept her hand in his as they walked away from the exhibit, heading down to their original destination. Once they arrived at the panda corner, they stood side by side, no longer holding hands. Karina had too many thoughts on her mind that she didn’t even notice the zookeeper setting out bails of bamboo for the pandas to munch on. Kotetsu began speaking to her, but she didn’t hear a single word.

“Karina-chan? Karina, look! They’re eating their treat!” Kotetsu waved his hand in front of her face. Snapping out of her thoughts, she looked up at him.

“Huh?”

Kotetsu smiled softly. “Welcome back to earth, my dear. Where were you at, exactly?”

“I...” Her cheeks became scarlet, forcing her to lower her head.

“Hey, you don’t have to be embarrassed. I can understand wanting to go into your own world. Why do you think Agnes gets so mad at me sometimes?” He winked at her, making her giggle softly. “That’s better. Now, what’s on your mind?”

She shook her head. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

Kotetsu recognized that phrase as the one phrase men were always terrified of, himself included. He gave a nod, and knew better than to continue questioning her. “Alright, Karina-chan. How about we just watch the pandas, hmm?” He turned away from her, letting her be alone in her thoughts.

She couldn’t decide if she had wanted him to ask her what was wrong, or if she wanted to be left alone. Focusing her eyes on the panda exhibit, she suddenly felt lighter when she saw a small panda holding on to a small stick of bamboo. She met the small panda’s eyes and let out a soft squeal of delight. She heard Kotetsu chuckle beside her, but she didn’t care. She kept watching the small panda, thinking how easy its life must be, not having to worry about people’s judgements or work, or anything humans had to deal with.

“Ready to move on?” Kotetsu asked, placing his hand on the small of her back. She nodded, and waved at the small panda, who had turned away from them and kept munching on its bamboo. He kept his hand planted firmly on her body as he steered her through the crowd. “Where would you like to go now, Karina-chan?”

Karina giggled. “I don’t know. What animals do you enjoy seeing? Want to go see the _tigers_?” She laughed when she saw his grimace on his face.

“We can go see them,” he switched his grimace to a small smile. “Or, we can go to the ocean exhibit?”

“Oooo!” She nodded her head rapidly. “Yes! I like that idea.”

They made their way around the park, heading towards the area where the sea lions, otters, and other aquatic life forms resided. She walked over to the manta ray area, happy to see that there was hardly anyone around. “Do you want to touch one of them, Kotetsu?”

“Depends on what you’re asking me what I want to touch?” He wiggled his eyebrows mischievously, earning a loud laugh from his girlfriend. “We are talking about the manta rays, yes?”

Deciding to play his game, she leaned up towards his ear. “Can you think of something else that’s wet and a _little_ bit slimy that you would rather touch?” She blew cool air across his ear, and tried not to let out a squeak when she felt his hand grab her hip.

“Play fair, or we may be in for a long afternoon, Karina-chan,” Kotetsu’s voice had dropped an octave, the brittle hair of his goatee brushing against the side of her neck. He pushed his hips forward, showing her just what she had done to him with those few simple words. She moaned softly into his ear.

“What if I don’t want to?” She pulled away, batting her eyelashes at him. He groaned, a slight flush crossing his cheeks as he removed his hand from her hip.

“Fine,” he stuck his tongue out at her. He walked over to the manta ray station and leaned over. “Look! They’re right here!”

Walking over to where he was, she leaned over. “Where??”

“There!” He pointed with one hand, while the other quickly splashed Karina with cold water. She squealed loud, not expecting the water to be as bitter cold as it was. “Hah!” Kotetsu laughed, shaking his head as she glared at him.

“Hah?!” She stuck her hand into the water and flung some at him, hitting him directly in the chest. He stopped laughing suddenly, locking eyes with her.

Before they both dipped their hands back into the water, an attendant came over to them. “No water play!” He pointed to the sign next to the rocks, showing that there was indeed no water play, and no splashing on the same sign. Karina nodded her head, and was quick to apologize, before she took her hand out of the water and wiped it on Kotetsu’s body.

“Oy!” Kotetsu grumbled playfully, rather enjoying how her hands moved on his body, even if it was just to wipe them off in retaliation for what he had done to her. They made their way to the water station to wash off their hands. “Don’t look behind you, but I think our _friend_ is following us,” Kotetsu muttered under his breath.

Turning around, she saw that the attendant was indeed watching the two of them. She laughed and turned back around, washing her hands. “Oh, whatever. Fun killer.”

“Are you having fun, Karina-chan?” Kotetsu looked over at her, meeting her eyes.

She nodded her head. “Of course I am, Kotetsu. Sorry for acting silly earlier. I was just thinking about stuff.”

“It’s okay. How about we go and check out the gift shop?” Kotetsu asked, handing her a towel to dry her hands with.

“Okay!” She took the towel and wiped off her hands.

The two headed up back towards the entrance, and wandered into one of the larger gift shops. Kotetsu looked around and saw just what he was looking for. “Karina-chan, I’ll be right back, okay?”

“Sure.” She was busy looking at books on the wildlife.

After noticing that Kotetsu was still not back, she looked around, afraid that he had forgotten about her. She set the book back on the shelf and began to head to another area of the store, but was stopped by a hand on her shoulder. Turning around, she saw the man she had been looking for.

“I got you this,” Kotetsu said, holding a small, plush tiger. “For you to keep at home. It’s a little reminder for you of how much I adore you.”

She took the tiger and gave her lover a huge smile. “Oh, Kotetsu!!” She grabbed his vest and pulled him into a tight hug, nuzzling his chest. “No one has ever gotten me anything like this before. Thank you so much!”

“Look, mommy! It’s that man and his daughter again!” The child from before said to the right of them.

Kotetsu pulled back and looked at the mother and child. “She is not my daughter.”

“Oh?” The mother said, looking between the two of them. “Is she your niece?”

The older man took Karina’s hand, squeezing it tightly. She didn’t know what to say, nor could she process just what was happening. All those bad thoughts had returned, the ones she had tried so hard to push away since first encountering these two people. “She’s not my niece. If you must know, she’s my girlfriend. Now, why don’t you mind your own business and leave others alone?”

Karina’s mouth dropped open in shock at his admission to the complete stranger. She heard the woman huff and walk away from where they were. Kotetsu began to walk out of the store with Karina, who was still in a daze after that exchange. She didn’t bother to get her hand stamped, as she knew the zoo would be closing soon, and she just wanted to go back to Kotetsu’s house. They walked to the car in silence, both engrossed in their own thoughts. She got into the car after Kotetsu opened the door for her, and buckled herself in. Placing the small tiger on her lap, she kept her eyes forward as Kotetsu hopped into the car, slamming the door.

“I don’t understand why people need to butt into other people’s business. It’s not like we’re hurting their lives by existing.” Kotetsu grumbled, turning the key in the ignition.

Karina looked over at him. “Are....are you upset at what she said?”

“I’m upset that you had to go through that. Is that why you were so bothered at the panda exhibit? Is it because of what her child said about us?” Kotetsu kept his eyes on the road as they drove off, heading back to his place.

She sighed and nodded her head. “Yes. Because, I mean, if you think about it, they’re right. I am old enough to be your daughter.”

Kotetsu sighed. “Let’s talk about this when we get to my place, okay? I want to give you my undivided attention, and I can’t do that while I’m driving. We’ll be home soon.”

“Alright.” She held onto her stuffed tiger, hoping that they weren’t about to have _the_ talk. _I thought we were happy. Maybe he doesn’t like the fact that I’m so much younger than he is._ She shook her head, closing her eyes to stop the tears that were threatening to fall. She clutched the tiger tightly, hoping that they would get to his place fast. 


	15. Chapter 15

Kotetsu forced himself to keep his eyes on the road as they drove back to his place. He could feel the anxiety coming off of his girlfriend in waves, and had no idea how to quell the turmoil she must be experiencing. He should have recognized that by going out in public, there were bound to be people that spoke behind their backs. But he had never been one to pay attention to anything anyone said. If he had, he would have given up being a Hero a very long time ago. Chuckling softly, he shook his head and went back to concentrating on the road.

“What’s so funny?” Karina asked, turning to look at him. “Why are you so quiet, Kotetsu? Are you....you’re not upset with me, are you?”

Groaning, he shook his head. “Of course I’m not upset with you, Karina-chan. I’m just trying to keep my mind focused on the road. As you can see, it’s begun to rain a little, and I want to make sure we get back to my place in one piece.” They came to a stop at an intersection, allowing him to quickly glance at her. “I promise you, I am not upset. However, I can tell that you are.”

“I...” She looked down at her lap, fiddling with the stuffed tiger he had given her.

He reached over and patted her leg. “It’s fine, Karina. I understand. We’re almost back to my place.” The light turned green, forcing him to remove his hand from her leg to place it back on the wheel. He heard her sigh softly, but this sigh was different from the others she had been sounding since they began their trek home. It lightened his heart, just a little bit.

Pulling into his driveway, he put the car into park and grabbed a newspaper from his backseat. He hopped out of the car and unfolded it, the rain falling in a soft pattern onto the newsprint. He quickly ran around his car and opened the door for Karina, holding the newspaper over her head, his hat doing a terrible job of keeping the rain off of his face. She slammed the door shut, placing the small stuffed tiger under her shirt, making sure it did not become damp with rain water, both hurrying to the porch together. Kotetsu quickly unlocked the door and allowed her to go in first, dropping the wet newspaper onto his small porch before ducking inside himself.

“Whew!” He took off his newsboy cap, shaking his head, water flying outwards. He heard Karina squeal, the water from his hair probably hitting her. “Oh! Sorry, Karina-chan!” He said, stopping his head shake. He walked over to his kitchen and grabbed his kitchen towel. “Did you get wet at all?”

She shook her head, pulling the tiger from under her shirt. “No, I think I’m okay. Just a few splashes, nothing too terrible.” Karina smiled. “Save the towel for yourself. I should be fine, Kotetsu. Thank you, though.”

“You sure?” He still held it out, wanting to be absolutely certain she did not want to use it before he wiped all the water off of him. When he saw her nod, he took the towel and first wiped his face, then began to rub it on his head. “Would you like some hot cocoa, Karina?” He asked, busily running the towel through his hair.

Karina nodded, then saw that he wouldn’t be able to see her. “Sure. Would you like for me to put some water?” She walked past him and headed into the kitchen.

“If you want...” Kotetsu rubbed his head a few more times with the towel, then set it on the small rack, that was attached to the oven, to dry. He walked over to the couch and sat down, leaving enough room for Karina to sit next to him.

Once the pot of water was going, Karina sat back on the couch, her leg brushing Kotetsu’s. “So....”

“Karina, I want you to look at me.” He said, turning his body to face her. He brought his legs up, sitting in a cross-legged position, taking her hands into his. She did the same, and sat there, looking up at him, her icy hands resting between his beefy ones. “You know that I’m falling in love with you, yes?”

Her breath caught in her throat. Out of all the things for him to say, that was the one she had not been expecting to come out of his mouth. Kotetsu’s eyes widened, hearing what he had just said echo through his mind. _Shit!_ “I mean...” Kotetsu tried to backtrack, but then... _ah, fuck it._ “I mean that I’m falling in love with you. You are all that I think about when I’m awake, you’re all that I think about when I’m asleep. You’ve captured my mind and my spirit like no one else has.”

“K-Kotetsu...I....” Karina’s pulse was racing, the heat spreading from her cheeks, to her throat, to her wrists. To all the pulse points on her body.

Kotetsu gave her hands a gentle squeeze. “Look, you don’t have to say anything back. I know it’s a big commitment, admitting something like that. I know, it’s not the 3 words you were probably hoping I’d say. We’re not there yet, but we’re super close.”

“Kotetsu!” Karina’s voice was sharp, yet soft at the same time. He stopped talking immediately, giving her his full attention. “You know, when you’re nervous, you ramble a lot. You don’t have to worry about saying that. But....why are you saying it now?”

He sighed, bowing his head. “Because I know that what that child at the zoo said bothered you. And yes, you have a right to feel that way, but I want you to know that I don’t care. Sure, I’m older than you. So what? What does it matter? You heard me tell them that you’re my girlfriend, yes?”

“I did...but...” Karina looked down at their joined hands, afraid to look up at him.

Letting go of her hand, Kotetsu lifted her chin up to look him in the eyes. “Listen to me. No one else’s opinions matter, Karina. Do you like me?” She gave a small nod of her head, his hand staying on her chin. “Do you enjoy spending your time with me?” Another small nod. “Then why are you letting what other people say affect your mood, affect the way you feel about me?”

“Because!” She said, shaking her head. “You wouldn’t understand, Kotetsu.” She pulled away from his hand, losing the contact on her face. “You seem to live in a world where nothing matters. But I don’t live in that world!”

He stared at her, shock running through his system. “I...I live in a world where nothing matters? How can you say that? Is this going back to what happened with Bunny? Because, Karina, I told you, that only happened once.”

“No, Kotetsu, this isn’t about Barnaby, or anything about your past. This is about me. I mean, perhaps I was hoping that it wouldn’t matter, that people wouldn’t give us a second thought. But hearing that boy assume that you were my father? That was....”

“Creepy?” Kotetsu finished for her. She nodded her head, thankful for not having to say it, for she never found the man creepy, at all. Even when he was a blubbering fool, he still made her smile and feel safe. “Again, why are you even listening to them? Who cares?”

Before she could answer, the water began to boil, the steam releasing a horrible scream that made Karina jump up fast to stop the noise. “Where is your hot cocoa?” She asked after yanking the cord out of the wall to appease the kettle.

“In the cupboard to your left,” Kotetsu pointed to where she would find the pre made bags. He sat back on the couch, and pulled out his phone. Scrolling through the contacts, he found the person he was looking for and sent them a quick text, asking them a question. His ringer went off a few seconds later, startling him as he he thought he had put his phone on silent. Replying back to the message, he put his phone away quickly.

Karina turned around. “Was that your phone?” She asked, stirring the powder mix into both cups filled with hot water.

“It was,” Kotetsu replied as he got up from the couch. He walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her body, pulling her closer to him. “Listen, Karina. If there is one lesson in life that you should learn, it’s don’t let others influence the way you feel, think or act. You should be yourself. Do you understand?” He nuzzled the side of her neck, his breath tickling her soft skin.

Her body shivered involuntarily, her hands still on the cups. She spoke quietly, almost inaudibly. “I do, but it doesn’t make it more difficult to push those thoughts and feelings away.”

“I know,” Kotetsu kissed her cheek before pulling away from her. He grabbed one of the mugs and yelped. “Ouch!!”

“Kotetsu, the water _just_ boiled, you dork! Of course the cups are going to be hot,” she giggled as she walked over to the couch. “Now, then. Who was that on the phone?”

Kotetsu followed her and sat down. “Nobody. Speaking of nobody, how would you feel about going out to dinner in about an hour?”

“Are you setting me up?” She asked, eyeballing him over the cup of hot cocoa. She saw his face turn a darker shade of red, making her think that he was afraid to tell her yes. “Kotetsu...if you really feel like you’re falling in love with me, keeping secrets from me is not the way to get me to agree to that sentiment.”

“Karina-chan!” He whined, shaking his head. “Please, just trust me, okay? Dinner?” He sipped the hot liquid, not caring if it was burning his tongue and the roof of his mouth. Keeping his cool, he swallowed the liquid audibly, causing the younger woman to fall into a fit of giggles.

Shaking her head, she looked at him. “You’re insane, you know that?”

“I would be someone completely different if that weren’t the case. And would you have started to like me if that was the way it was?” He wiggled his eyebrows, setting the cup down. He laid down on the couch, placing his head in her lap, as he wrapped his arms around her waist. “Is this okay?”

Gently setting her hands on his scalp, she smiled. “I don’t see why not. Even though your hair is still damp.” She ran her fingers through his hair, giggling as he protested when her fingers combed through some rough tangles.

“Ouch!!” Kotetsu groaned, turning his face to be buried in her lap. She laughed as her fingers got caught in his scalp once more, his fingers digging into her waist.

“Kotetsu!!” She squealed, trying to pull her fingers out. “Stop!!”

Yanking her fingers free, he relaxed his grip on her waist. “That hurt.” He looked up at her with a small pouty face.

“Yeah, well, who’s the dumbass who got all wet from the rain?” She stuck her tongue out at him, squealing once more as she suddenly found herself on her back, laying next to him on the couch.

He kissed her softly, pulling her closer to his body. “Yes, well...who’s hair did I save? There are small sacrifices we all must make, Karina-chan.”

“You’ve got to be kidding,” she whispered. “You call saving my hair a small sacrifice? I’ll remember that, Kotetsu.” She leaned forward, kissing him softly, startling him into silence.

They sat on the couch, both appreciating the comfort and familiarity. After a half hour of just laying around, Karina opened her eyes and saw that Kotetsu had fallen asleep. Leaning forward, she rubbed her cheek against the sandpaper of his jaw, the small, short hairs tickling her. “Kotetsu...wake up.”

“Hmm?” His arms wrapped around her tighter, not ready to let go. Karina’s soft laughter forced his eyes to open. “Did I fall asleep?” His voice was thick with sleep, still a bit tired.

She gave a small nod of her head. “Yes, Kotetsu. You said you wanted to go to dinner. Well, we’ve got about fifteen minutes to get ready and be wherever we need to be.”

That did it. He sat straight up, letting go of her. “Aye! I didn’t realize we had laid here that long!” He scrambled, practically falling onto the floor as he tried to stand up. “Karina, did you want to change?”

“Yes, but I don’t need a shower. Are you going to shower?” She asked, trying not to laugh at how scatterbrained her lover was acting.

“Not enough time,” he shook his head as he began to walk up the stairs, taking two at a time. She followed after him, shaking her head as she went. “Is shabu-shabu okay for dinner?”

Walking into his bedroom, she pulled off her top, setting the semi-damp shirt on top of her overnight bag. “Hot pot?! Sure!” Pulling out her black slacks, she took off her jeans and set them to the side, slipping her new pants on. “Do you think it’s still raining outside?”

“I doubt it,” Kotetsu pulled a red shirt out of his closet, slipping the fabric onto his body. He heard Karina moan softly, causing him to turn his head. “Karina? Are you okay?”

“You look good in that color,” she said, gesturing to his red top. “I...I don’t think I’ve seen you in anything other than that green shirt.”

He slipped his white vest on over the red shirt, pulling an all black tie out of his wardrobe and began to tie it. “Well, I’m glad you approve, then.” He flashed her a smile before closing the door to his closet.

“I do,” she smiled as she pulled an iridescent tank top over her head. She grabbed a small tie from her bathroom bag and pulled her hair back into a high ponytail, her hair just barely hitting her shoulders. Kotetsu could feel his pants becoming a bit tighter as he stared at her back, just watching her move.

“Ready to go?” Kotetsu asked, adjusting himself discreetly, not wanting to offend Karina. She turned and nodded her head, grabbing a cardigan from her bag. “Gosh, how many sets of clothes did you bring?” He asked, surprised by the new article of clothing.

Laughing, she slipped on a pair of black sandals. “A girl never reveals her secrets, Kotetsu,” she walked out of the room, leaving a dumbfounded Kotetsu standing there.

They headed out of his townhouse together, the rain having magically stopped while they had been resting inside. Kotetsu opened the door for her, grinning as she smiled at him while stepping into the car. He quickly closed the door and walked around, hopping into the driver’s seat. Starting the car, they headed down a few blocks to the shabu-shabu house, one of Kotetsu’s favorite eateries in the area. He opened the car door for his lover, and she got out gracefully, making the older man groan as she brushed against his side.

“You did that on purpose,” Kotetsu said quietly, earning a soft giggle from the young woman.

She turned and looked at him. “What makes you say that, ojii-san?”

“Ah!!” He shook his head, shutting the door quickly and locking it up. “What did I say about that??” He grabbed her, pulling her close to him despite the shouts and squeals emitting from her. “You can’t do that to me!!”

He released her as they approached the restaurant, Kotetsu opening the door for her. She walked in and stopped when she saw two people she had not been expecting to see. Kotetsu walked in after her, and almost ran into her before he realized she had stopped. Looking over, he saw that both Keith and Ivan were sitting at a booth, waving at the both of them. Raising his hand up, he smiled and placed it on the small of Karina’s back.

“So, that’s who texted me earlier,” Kotetsu said, walking with her towards their table.

Karina blushed, feeling her stomach begin to flutter nervously, not expecting to see the two of them here. She headed over to the table and smiled. “Good evening.”

“So glad you could join us,” Keith said, standing up. “Please, won’t you sit down?” He gestured to the opposite side of the booth. Slipping in, she smiled up at him.

“You don’t have to stand, Keith. It’s just the two of us.” She giggled, shaking her head. She looked over at Ivan, and saw that he was focused on making the paper from his straw expand into a worm. Giggling, she began to feel more relaxed.

Sitting back down, Keith shrugged his shoulders. “I feel it is polite.” He looked over at Kotetsu. “Nice to see you, Kotetsu. Thank you for inviting us.”

Karina looked over at her boyfriend, her eyes narrowing. “You set this up?”

“Now here me out,” Kotetsu said, holding up his hands defensively. “I thought it would be nice to go out with them, but wanted it to be a surprise.”

Keith cleared his throat. “Do you two want to order something to drink?” Their waiter had appeared at their table, stopping the conversation from progressing any further.

“I’ll have a hot tea, please,” Karina said, trying to relax.

“Same,” Kotetsu concurred. Their waiter nodded and left them alone once more.

Ivan looked over at them. “I didn’t know you two were together.”

“It’s very recent,” Karina said, fiddling with the napkin she placed on her lap. “You could say we made it public last night?”

The younger man’s violet eyes lit up with the smile on his face. “That’s wonderful!” Ivan smiled. He looked over at Keith. “Did you know?”

“I had a suspicion,” he nodded his head. “After this morning’s events, from what I could gather.”

Karina felt the heat rush to her cheeks. She looked at Kotetsu. “May I please be excused? I need to use the ladies’ room.”

“Of course! The bathroom is back that way,” Kotetsu stood up from the booth, allowing her ample room to maneuver around him. He sat back down, once she was on her way towards the lavatory. He looked back and forth between the two other Heroes. “Thanks so much for coming out tonight. I was hoping you’d help me with something.”

Keith flashed his trademark smile. “Of course, Kaburagi-san. What is it that we can assist with?”

“I was hoping that one of you wouldn’t mind talking to Karina. You two have been together now for how long?”

Ivan spoke quietly, “Three months.”

A faint blush crossed Keith’s cheeks. “Has it really only been that long?”

“Yes,” Ivan said, looking up at him. “Shocking, isn’t it?”

“I’ll say,” Keith grinned, pulling the smaller man into a one-arm hug.

Karina cleared her throat, announcing her presence. “May I please sit down?”

“Of course!” Kotetsu jumped up, moving out of the way once more for her to sit back in the booth with him.

They ordered dinner, keeping the conversation light. Karina had never really spent any time with either Keith or Ivan, and found it fascinating to listen to each of them speak. It was really nice, the four sharing a common bond, allowing them all to talk about many things she had never thought about before. It was different when she was with her school group, as they only talked about their studies, and cute boys. But with Keith and Ivan, she was able to be herself, talking about past Hero fights, laughing at the ridiculousness of some of their sponsors and what they requested of them. The evening flew by so fast, that the owners of the restaurant had to come over to their table and inform them that they wanted to close up for the night.

As they began to walk out of the restaurant together, Karina looked at Ivan. “Ivan? May I ask you a question?”

“Hai,” Ivan said, his blonde hair falling into his face. “What did you want to ask, Karina-chan?”

Giggling at the -chan, she looked back and saw both Keith and Kotetsu involved in a heated debate. “How do you handle it?”

“Handle what?” He looked at her. “Being gay?”

Laughing, she shook her head. “Oh, no. Not that, silly. I don’t care that you’re gay. Why would anyone care about that?”

“You’d be surprised,” Ivan said. “What was your question?”

She spoke quietly, not wanting her lover to hear her. “Do people ever mistake the two of you for being related?”

“You mean, because of our age difference?” Ivan asked, getting straight to the point. She nodded her head, a blush crossing her cheeks. “Sometimes they do. Other times they just get upset because they’re homophobic and can’t stand to see two people happy. It’s happened a few times, when someone thinks that he’s my dad. But, Keith is really good sport about it. If he happens to overhear it, he leans down and kisses me, and that shuts them up right away.”

Karina stood still, staring at him. “You mean, it _has_ happened to the both of you?”

“If you’re worried because of your age gap with Wild Tiger, you shouldn’t be.” Ivan said. “Age is just a number. I can see that he likes you a lot, and seems extremely comfortable around you. You can clearly tell he’s smitten with you. If others talk, so what?”

Hearing the same words that Kotetsu had voiced earlier come from the younger man made her body relax. “Really? It doesn’t bother you at all?”

“It does,” Ivan looked back at Keith, and the older man gave him a small smile, rolling his eyes at whatever it was that Kotetsu was saying to him. “But what hurts more is that others don’t seem to think we have feelings, or that we can’t hear the mean things they are saying. So, really, I’d much rather hear them think that he’s my father, than ‘fag’ or other stupid slurs.”

She walked over to him and gave him a tight hug. “I’m sorry, Ivan. I had no idea that people were that stupid to you.” She felt his arms wrap around her, returning the hug.

“It’s okay,” Ivan said, resting his head against her shoulder. “Like I said, it doesn’t really bother me all that much. I love him, and that’s what counts the most. ‘Sticks and stones’ and all those silly nursery rhymes.”

They pulled away from each other as their lovers approached the two of them. “Ready to go back to my place?” Keith asked, setting a hand on Ivan’s shoulder.

“Of course,” Ivan said, smiling. “Thank you for a lovely evening, Kaburagi-san.” Ivan bowed his head, showing a sign of respect to the older man.

Kotetsu blushed, running a hand through his hair nervously. “Ah, you don’t have to be so formal, Ivan. It’s okay.”

“We should do this again,” Karina said, smiling. “I had fun this evening.”

Keith grinned. “I agree!” He raised Karina’s hand to his lips, kissing the back of her hand daintily. “Have a wonderful evening, Blue Rose. I hope that we don’t get called out this evening.” He let go of her hand, and walked towards his car, holding onto Ivan’s hand protectively.

“I see why you set this up,” Karina said, after they both got into Kotetsu’s car.

Starting the engine, Kotetsu chuckled softly. “Oh? Do you, now?”

“You wanted me to see that things would be okay, didn’t you?” Karina asked, turning to look at him. She knew he wouldn’t look at her, as he was always so conscious when he was driving the car.

Kotetsu shrugged his shoulders. “I wanted to have a normal evening, and wanted to have a nice double date.”

“And it never crossed your mind that their age gap is a little like ours?” Karina said, enjoying watching Kotetsu begin to stutter and shake his head. “Oh, give it a rest.” She laughed, turning back to face the proper way. “I appreciate the effort, Kotetsu. I can see what you mean by it not mattering. I don’t know why that woman’s remarks bothered me so much.”

He pulled into the driveway, turning off the car. “It’s human nature to react that way, Karina-chan.” He turned to face her, unbuckling his seatbelt. “I want you to know that it doesn’t matter to me. You and I, we’re different from the rest of them. Not because of our powers, but for a variety of reasons. Please, just trust me.”

“I do, Kotetsu,” she looked at him. “I trust you.”

“If it makes you feel better, we don’t have to be affectionate in public.” Kotetsu said, inching closer and closer to her. “However, I may find that rather difficult, as I am very honored that you’re in my presence.”

Blushing, she looked down. “Honored??”

He nodded his head, placing a hand on her leg. “Very much so.” He leaned forward, placing a soft kiss against her lips. “Come on, let’s go inside, shall we? I have to take you home tomorrow, so I want to make sure this night is a nice one.”

“Alright, Kotetsu.” She watched him exit the car and come over to her side, opening the door for her once more. “Always the gentleman.” She giggled as she stepped out of the car.

Walking to the front door together, Kotetsu unlocked the door and held it open for her. “After you?”

She walked into the house, setting her purse on the ground as she slipped off her sandals. She turned and looked at her lover, batting her eyelashes playfully. “Now what did you want to do, Kotetsu?”

“I think the better question is, what do I _not_ want to do, Karina-chan?” He crossed the few steps that separated the two of them, pulling her close to him. “Bedroom?”

“Bedroom.” 


	16. Chapter 16

He picked her up off her feet, Karina squealing as she laughed, placing her arms around his neck. “You could have warned me, Kotetsu!”

“Where’s the fun in that?” Kotetsu grinned, walking with her in his arms through his apartment. “Did you want anything from the kitchen before we head upstairs?”

The young woman shook her head, smiling as she began to run her fingers through his soft spikes. “Maybe in a little bit. But right now, I’ve got one thing on my mind.”

“Oh?” Kotetsu asked. “What’s that?” He walked with her up the short flight of stairs, heading into his bedroom. Setting her down on the bed, he groaned low as her lips were suddenly nuzzling his awakening arousal. “K-Karina...?” He shuddered as he felt her teeth gently gnash at his growing... _problem_ , and could feel his hairs begin to rise up on his body at the playfulness she was exuding.

Sitting up on her knees, her hair still in its high ponytail, she looked up at him coyly. “Yes, Kotetsu..?” She rubbed her hand against his bulge, the man incapable of keeping his moans silent. He bucked forward, enjoying how her soft hand felt on him. Reaching down, he unbuckled his belt, and popped the button at the top of his slacks, the zipper falling naturally down. “I think someone wants me to hurry up, don’t they...?” Karina asked, her mouth going to the black cloth of his boxer briefs.

“Can you....gah.....can you blame me...?” He moaned, her warm mouth against him with just the flimsy fabric keeping them apart. He reached forward and ran his fingers through the curls that kept falling onto her shoulder. “Your hair...it looks....mmmm.....nice like....ah.....this...” He groaned, the soft suction of her mouth on the fabric was slowly driving him insane. He didn’t want to pressure her to take him out of his boxer briefs, as he had been already naked the last time she had touched him in this manner.

She blew cool breath against the wet spot she saw that she had formed on his boxer briefs. Their eyes met, both equally dark with lust for one another, with just a hint of something more beneath the surface. Karina let her hands rest on the elastic around his waist, slowly pulling it down to allow his arousal to pop out from its confines. Kotetsu groaned low as his exposed arousal met the cool air, keeping his hips completely still. He watched as she bowed her head, moist lips suddenly wrapping around the tip of his hardening arousal.

“Ah!” He gasped out in surprise, his hands balling into fists. He groaned as her mouth began to slip further down, the soft caresses of her tongue sending shivers through his body. “Karina....” He moaned low, surprised at how deep his own voice sounded.  Closing his eyes, he leaned his head back, and just allowed his girlfriend to do whatever it was she wanted.

Karina looked up at him and saw his eyes were no longer on her. She saw that his hands were still planted against his thighs, the knuckles turning white with the tension he must have been causing himself. Taking her left hand, she touched his right hand and moaned around his arousal the minute his hand became entangled with her own. She kept her eyes on his face and saw his amber eyes were dark with a quiet passion, almost positive that her eyes were matching his own. She kept her mouth wrapped around the tip, remembering from the last time she had done this, he had enjoyed that, and the moans that began to fall from his mouth reaffirmed that. As that unique taste began to discharge from the small slit, Karina pulled her head back, lapping at the leaking hole.

“Nngh...Why are you....stopping...?” Kotetsu asked, keeping his hand wrapped tightly in her hand. He panted softly, his heart beating rapidly, as he had been so close to his finish. But with her mouth no longer on him, the edge of the cliff was slowly becoming a distant view. Not that he minded, not in the slightest. He knew that this was about her, and whatever she wanted to do. If she wanted to keep him on his toes, then that’s where he would stay, willingly and obediently for her pleasure.

She wiped her mouth, licking her lips as she pulled her hand away from his. “Because, I don’t want you to finish just yet.” She laid back on the bed, knowing that he was watching her every move as she undid the button of her slacks. Kotetsu kneeled on the bed between her legs, helping her ease the soft fabric off of her legs, leaving her in just her lace panties. As soon as the pants were gone, she unbuttoned the top button of her cardigan, keeping it beneath her on the sheets. Kotetsu saw the opportunity to help her, and placed his cool hands against her hips. She shivered at the gentle touch, her hips lifting up off the bed. “Kotetsu,” she moaned softly, closing her eyes as she felt his hands begin to travel up underneath her tank top.

“Let me help you,” Kotetsu’s voice remained low as he let his lips skim across her middle, his tongue dipping down into the small crevice of her belly button. He felt her body tremble at the small action, a smile appearing on his face as he repeated the action. She squealed as she began to laugh, her laughter forcing him to pull away from her. “Karina-chan?” He asked, clearing confused by what had just happened.

The younger woman shook her head as her laughter trickled down into a fit of giggles. “Sorry....it’s just your beard tickled me. I thought I could control myself, but you just kept moving, and then...” She shook her head, a pink blush tinting her cheeks as she tried not to cover herself up with her hands. Placing a hand on his, she took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly. “Please...will you continue?”

“No more laughing?” Kotetsu asked, turning his hand so that his palm was pressed against hers. She nodded her head, the pink still lingering on her cheek. “I thought I had done something silly.”

“Not at all,” Karina squeezed his hand.

He pulled his hand away from hers and placed it on the hem of her tank top. No longer in the mood to take things slow, for fear of sending her into laughter, he pulled up the tank top up. When he saw her bra-covered breasts, he couldn’t help but bow his head to let his lips brush against the soft mounds. She arched up towards his lips, this time the soft prickles of his beard made her become moist between the apex of her thighs. Moaning softly, she began to spread her legs more as she felt his wet tongue begin to lick the top part of her breast, which was trying to spill out from her bra. So focused was he on kissing her body in a reverent manner, Kotetsu didn’t notice the slight movement of her hand and body. Karina reached underneath her back and unclasped her bra, the fabric pushing up naturally with the release of the tension. Kotetsu moaned as he suddenly had more of her breast at his mouth, and was quick to take advantage of the situation. His lips quickly wrapped around her left nipple, sucking on the newly exposed flesh, his teeth biting gently on the hardening bud.

Karina mewled loud as she pushed against Kotetsu’s mouth, the feel of his teeth on her body on such a sensitive spot was sending her head into a spin. Wanting to remove the bra from her body completely, she reached down with a fast snap of her wrists and pulled it up and over her head, moaning as her lover kept his mouth firmly attached to her body, the gentle suction making the wetness on her silk panties almost unbearable. As soon as the bra was around her right wrist, she flung it across the room, the straps hitting the closet wall. A muffled chuckle came from her lover, who gave one final bite of his teeth on her nipple, causing her to cry out. “Ahh!!”

“Good, Karina....?” Kotetsu moved to her other breast, the prickly hairs of his beard rubbing against her ribcage as his lips reattached themselves to her right breast. She reached down and threaded her fingers through his hair, moaning an unintelligible yes as she arched up off the bed once more. He groaned low, pressing his body into hers. He bit down on her nipple as his hips connected with hers, the sudden feel of her center against his own groin made him let go and moan low. He thrust his hips forward once more and looked up at her, Karina’s eyes half-lidded as she rocked back against him. “Someone’s wet...”

She nodded her head, as she reached down to peel the last item of clothing off her body. Tossing them towards the area where she had thrown her bra, she looked up at him. “And someone is wearing too much clothing.” Reaching up, she pulled on his black tie, bringing him closer to her face. She stared into his amber eyes, keeping her hand wound tightly around the tie. “How this situation fair?” Raising her head up, she caught his lower lip with her teeth and gave a playful tug, the older man unable to suppress the moan that came from his throat. She let go and flopped back onto the bed, struggling to untie his tie.

“Let me help,” Kotetsu said. He pried her fingers off with a gentle touch, setting her hand to rest on her stomach. She watched him as he untied the knot and slipped it from underneath his collar. As he was about to throw it to the ground, she grabbed it from his hand. He looked down at her with a quizzical face, unsure of what she was doing. Karina giggled coyly and kept the tie in her hands. “Karina?”

Shaking her head, she pushed the tie underneath the pillow. “Did I just make your brain stop?” She laughed, watching as her lover kept that odd look on his face. “Kotetsu, really. Just keep undressing. Don’t worry about your tie.”

“Hai,” Kotetsu said, starting to unbutton the shirt he was wearing. It fell off his shoulders, his wrists stuck, as he forgot to unbutton the cuffs. Karina slid up and sat on her knees, reaching behind him as he semi-struggled to get out of the shirt. Her fingers pressed against his wrists as her breasts brushed against his chest, making him weak in the knees. “Karina...” He groaned, pushing forward. “Help...?”

Karina giggled softly as she stopped moving her hands and began to rub her chest against his. “What is it, _oji-san_?” She moaned softly as the way his chest rubbed against her receptive nipples, making her lose her own sense of direction.

He bent his head and groaned in her ear. “Don’t call me that...” His lips licked the shell of her ear before biting down on her earlobe. She let out a cry as he gave a gentle tug with his teeth.

“W-Why not...?” She turned her head, forcing him to move his face before getting knocked in the head. She kissed his lips hungrily, opening her mouth in a soft moan as his tongue pushed its way into her mouth. She resumed her challenge of unbuttoning his wrists, as she wanted to feel his arms wrap around her body and hold her close to him. Their tongues clashed together as they both struggled, each wanting the same thing. As soon as both buttons were undone, Kotetsu yanked off his shirt without decorum and quickly wrapped his arms around her, forcing her to fall back onto the bed.

Kotetsu held her close in his arms as he kept kissing her with a savage passion, his animalistic personality coming out. He kissed her breathless, and soon, their lips were forced apart for the need for oxygen. He groaned as he felt her petite hands on his pants, lifting his hips away from her to help her. Her soft pants filled his ears as his chin brushed against her shoulder. He didn’t want to rush her, but if she didn’t get his pants off of him relatively soon.....

Finally, she got his pants unzipped and forced them off his body, making sure to pull down the fabric of his boxer briefs with them. Karina moaned as she felt him begin to rub against her folds, the feel of his arousal making her ache to have more of him. She wrapped her legs around his waist, and moaned loud. “Kotetsu!” She cried out in frustration, the man still teasing her with just the feel of him against her.

“What is it, beautiful Hime...?” He kept himself from barely entering her, enjoying how needy she seemed to be towards his ministrations. He could feel her wetness coating him liberally, making it very easy to move back and forth against her.

She pulled her hips back, trying to force him to go into her. “S-Stop teasing....” Karina’s cheeks were flush with need, her heart aflutter at the name he had just called her.

He pulled his hips back and gently entered her, a low moan falling from his mouth as he did so. He could feel her tighten around him, and groaned as he listened her cry out at the pleasing penetration. Looking down, he locked onto her soft, auburn eyes as he pushed himself further into her body.

“Nngh...” Karina kept her eyes locked onto his, her heart continuing to race as her body finally began to receive what it had been longing for since they began this dance. She cried out as he was all the way in her, his groin pushing against the top of her mound. She began to rock her hips fast, to counter the slow thrusts of his hips, the angle of which his body was hitting her clitoris pushing her closer and closer to the edge. She tossed her head back as her first orgasm hit her hard and fast, her womanhood tightening around her lover’s arousal with a firm grip.

Kotetsu moaned low, watching her face as he felt her climax. He began to move his hips at a faster pace, happy that he was able to make her come as fast as he had. He was nowhere near being done, thanks to his concentration on just wanting to pleasure her more and more. He could wait. If it meant he would get to see that soft expression on her face at her absolute bliss, then it was worth the concentration. He found that every time he pushed forward, he was rewarded with another soft moan from Karina.

“M-More...” Karina begged him breathlessly, wanting to feel more. She lowered her legs from his waist, reaching down towards her left thigh to pull it up higher As soon as her left arm wrapped around her thigh, the new angle made her cry out in a passionate plea to him. “THERE!”

Groaning low as he felt her body shift around him, causing him to slip even deeper inside of her, Kotetsu obeyed his lover’s wish. Beginning to move faster, he began to thrust his hips. WIth her cries becoming higher in pitch, he knew he was hitting her g-spot with each thrust. He leaned his head forward, closing his eyes tightly as he just felt her become tighter and tighter around him. He moaned as he felt her right hand on his back begin to grip his shoulder, her body bucking against his at frantic pace. She screamed his name as she climaxed once more, the timbre of her scream sending vibrations through his body.

When he felt her hand relax against his back, he lifted his head and looked into her eyes. “Ready for more, Karina....?” He spoke softly, watching her try to regain her breath from her second orgasm of their session. “Or do you need a moment?”

“No....I’m...good...” Karina moaned softly, rolling her hips as her body came back down slowly from her quick high. She leaned her head back, moaning softly. “Are...you close...?” She let go of her leg, moaning softly.

Kotetsu placed a few soft kisses against her neck. “I am...but I want to watch you more...”

“V-Voyeur...” She giggled breathlessly. As her giggles began to taper, the older man thrust forward, making her moan loud. “AAH!”

Smirking, he began to move his hips faster. “What was that...?” He groaned low, as her right leg wrapped around his waist. “Mmm....Karina...”

“K-Kotetsu...” She cried out. Reaching underneath the pillow, she pulled out the tie and was quick to place it over Kotetsu’s eyes, tying it behind his head. He moaned at the sudden darkness, the sound of his moan making her hands shake. Once it was in place, she whispered in his ear softly, “Now you can’t be a voyeur.”

He closed his eyes, moaning at the visual restriction, but was pleased that his lover was growing into her own sexual needs. Had this been a week ago, there was no way he would have ever imagined Karina to be so bold. He bit his lower lip as he began to pump harder into her body, her moans approaching levels that his neighbors were bound to hear. He felt his lower stomach begin to tighten, as he was fast approaching his finish, almost against his will. But with this new addition of the blindfold, he was all but helpless as it was a huge turn on of his. He felt her walls tighten around him once more, and with that final squeeze, he let himself go, pumping his hips into her as they both rode their climax out together.

Stilling his hips, he rested against her chest, panting softly. He lifted his hand to touch the back of his head, wanting to untie the knot, but felt his lover’s hand close around his. “No....keep it on...?” Karina whispered.

“I...I don’t know if I can...go again...” Kotetsu said, chuckling breathlessly. He felt the pressure on the back of skull disappear as she removed it for him. “Arigatou, Hime...”

Karina kissed the top of his head. “Fine. But let’s keep it accessible, okay?” She giggled softly as his beard began to tickle her chest.

“Mmm...sounds good...” Kotetsu said, watching as she placed it back underneath the pillow. He lifted himself up and slipped out of her. Reaching over, he grabbed a few tissues from the tissue box on his nightstand. He lowered a few to her center, taking care to wipe her carefully. She blushed deeply as she spread her legs to help him. “Thank you,” he spoke quietly as he made sure she was okay.

She shook her head, trying to not let her embarrassment show too much. “I-It’s okay...you didn’t have to do that.” She watched him lay beside her and watched as he wiped himself off, fascinated. “Why are you using tissues?”

“Because we don’t have a towel in here,” Kotetsu chuckled softly. He took the dirty tissues and tossed them into the small wastebasket. “I’ll be sure to bring one in here next time.” He looked over at the clock and sighed softly. “We should probably get a little bit of sleep. It’s late.”

Karina looked over at the clock and saw that it was indeed late. Or early, depending on how you looked at it. “But if we sleep, then that means when I wake up, this weekend will be over.” She placed her head against his chest, snuggling close to him.

“Just because the weekend will be over doesn’t mean we will be.” Kotetsu said, wrapping an arm around her, holding her close to him. “Unless that was your ploy all along?”

She shook her head, giggling softly. “You’re silly, Kotetsu. No, of course not.” She yawned softly, her tiredness beginning to finally appear.

“Sleep, my Hime.” He began to rub small circles on her back. “Sweet dreams, okay? When you wake up...”

He stopped speaking when he heard her begin to snore softly. Holding her close to him, he closed his own eyes, saying a silent prayer that their night would remain uninterrupted. He fell asleep, his mind filled with thoughts of what the morning would bring for the two of them. 


	17. Chapter 17

As dawn broke over Sternbild, Karina began to slowly drift out of her deep sleep. Blinking a few times, she yawned quietly, arching her back off the bed as she stretched naturally with her yawn. As she tried to raise her hands high above her head, she found that she could not; they were already there, and they were being kept there by something. Her heart beating faster, Karina looked to her left and didn’t see the shape of Kotetsu next to her. Trying not to panic, she turned her head to the other side and saw nothing there as well. _Where the hell did he go? What’s going on? Am I still in his room, or did something happen to me while I was asleep?_

“Breathe,” a deep voice came from across the room. Karina looked over towards where the sound had come from, and could see a silhouette in the pale dawn light standing near the closet. It resembled the form of her lover, but she wasn’t too positive. “You’re awake, yes?”

_It_ is _him._ “I am,” Karina said, laying still, not wanting to fight against whatever was holding her. Since it didn’t seem to be her lover, as he was about ten feet away from her. “Why are you all the way over there?”

“I wanted to give you some time to rest without having to deal with me tossing and turning,” the good natured tone was ever present in Kotetsu’s voice. “We only have a few hours before I need to take you back home, so...”

Karina felt a warm heat begin to race through her body at what his tone was implying. “So, you decided it would be a great idea to bind my hands, using I don’t know what, in order to make it more interesting?? Is that it?” She tried to keep the hysteria out of her voice, and tried to find the sensual side of the predicament she was in, but she was having difficulty doing so.

“Karina, I’m not going to hurt you,” the blob against the wall began to make its way towards her side. She watched as Kotetsu’s shape began to form more clearly, and sighed softly as the bed shifted on her left side, with his extra weight now there.

Blushing, she turned her head to look at him. “You know, most boyfriends will make their girlfriends breakfast in bed. But not you. You definitely have a different idea as to what a girl wants when she wakes up first thing in the morning.”

“Do you want to hear why I’ve done what I’ve done...?” The older man asked, laying down on the bed next to her. She watched as he kept sliding down the bed, unsure of what he was doing. “You asked what I used to bind your hands? Well,” Kotetsu said, moving to be between her legs. “That was your doing, actually.”

Her heart stopped beating as she felt his breath on her inner thigh. She prayed that the shakiness she could feel happening to her body wouldn’t be pronounced in her speaking voice. “How was it _my_ doing?” She asked, hearing her voice sound normal.

“Well, do you remember anything from last night?” Kotetsu asked, blowing cool air against the wet folds of her womanhood. Her toes curled at the cool temperature, a soft moan passing from her lips.

Closing her eyes, she leaned her head back and nodded. “Of course I remember what happened last night. We went to dinner, and then we came back here and fooled around.”

“And you blindfolded me.” She cried out as she felt the tip of his tongue press against the top of her mound, the slick wetness of the organ made her grip whatever it was holding her wrists together behind her head.

Understanding dawned immediately at his remark, after the momentary lapse of forgetting how to speak passed. “The....nngh...tie...” She moaned as Kotetsu’s tongue began to trace a small circle around the top of her mound, her body becoming ignited at the slow motions. “W-What are you....doing...?”

“Trying to find something,” Kotetsu said good-naturally, keeping the gentle motions of his tongue sweeping around the same area. After a few more licks, the small prize which he had been searching for popped out of its hiding place, drawing a soft chuckle from the older man. “Ah,” Kotetsu said, lowering his head back down. “There we go...”

Karina cried out as his mouth latched to her body, the sensation vaguely familiar from the other night. But this time, she didn’t have a certain object in her mouth to control the sound of her moans. She arched her chest up, silently thrilled that this was what was happening, first thing in the morning. A thought popped into her mind, _But I didn’t shower...this can’t be..._ The thought disappeared fleetingly as she cried out loud. Kotetsu’s teeth surrounded what had to be her clitoris, and was nibbling on her gently while sucking softly with his mouth. Her legs spread apart as she felt his chin begin to rub against her body, sending surges of undiluted passion through her.

She whimpered as his teeth let go of the small bean. Pulling on the tie, she tried to get her hands free, as she wanted to feel her lover’s hair underneath her hands. But there was a very small part of her brain, the same part that was thinking about her cleanliness, that was debating about pulling him away from her. She became a puddle of need as she felt his tongue dip into her body, making the thought of pushing him away vanish, and only thoughts of his tongue doing that to her again began to occupy her mind.

“That’s a good girl,” Kotetsu groaned low as he licked at her center more, wrapping his arms around her slender thighs. She moaned louder for him the minute his tongue was back inside of her warm folds, the tip of his nose pressing against her clit once more.

Moaning softly, Karina shook her head. “I’m not....a girl...” She yanked on the tie, hearing the bedframe protesting at being used in the way it was. She cried out as he began to wiggle his tongue back and forth inside of her, propelling her body into a heightened state. Her eyes flashed blue for a moment as her body couldn’t take the sudden assault of pleasure. She looked down and saw Kotetsu’s eyes flash back at her, the older man igniting his own 100 power. _Oh....boy..._ She closed her eyes, preparing for what she knew was coming.

Karina’s chest raised up from the bed with a soft cry as Kotetsu’s tongue began to move faster than anything she had felt before against the top of her mound. She felt the heat begin to spread throughout her body and was screaming for him to stop, but then screaming to not, her voice cracking with each loud moan that came from her mouth. A finger entered her folds, and then another, and then, humming. Karina ripped the tie in two as she came, her orgasm shocking her body into absolute bliss, the rapid fluttering of his tongue against her mound, and his fingers pushing in and out of her kept making her cascade, orgasm after orgasm. She reached down and finally pushed her fingers through his semi-tangled hair, pulling on the follicles hard as she kept herself firmly against his mouth. Hearing the faint sound of her cries echoing in the bedroom, she became incoherent as the back of his tongue rubbed against her clitoris once more, sending another shocking wave against her body. She trembled as she looked down at him, meeting those bright blue eyes, feeling absolutely helpless to the man she so desperately loved, more than anything on the planet.

Pulling back, Kotetsu kept his eyes locked on hers, and she laid back on the bed, panting erratically. His eyes began to fade back to their normal amber hue. Another shiver raced through her body as she took matters into her own hands, and wrapped her spread legs around his waist, pulling him towards her moist folds. He groaned and wiped off his lips, removing any moisture that might have been left behind before leaning forward.

“Kotetsu,” she moaned his name softly as she felt him press against her womanhood. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down towards her. She felt him ease down towards her body and within seconds, he was where she wanted him to be. With a gentle push of her hips downwards, he slipped into her body, making her toss her head backwards with a silent moan.

He pressed his face against her neck, rolling his hips slowly as he pushed deeper into her. She rocked her hips with his slow thrusts, moaning his name over and over, gentle quakes rocking the older man’s body. His lips pressed against her ear as he began to speak what he had been wanting to say to her all weekend. “Karina-chan....I....”

“D-Don’t...” She cried out, her hips rocking faster. “N-Not.....like this...” She held onto him for dear life as she rubbed herself against him, pushing him deeper into her body. She had an inkling what he wanted to profess to her, but she was of sound mind, not wanting to hear it in the throes of passion, even if she herself had been close to shouting it out before. With one final push, she screamed his name as she climaxed, her body tumbling down the cliff into pure bliss. Kotetsu moaned her name low into her ear as he was quick to follow her over, his own orgasm having being building since the moment his lips had touched her center.

Gently slipping out of her, he laid next to her on the bed. He reached down and untied her hands, chuckling softly. “Seems like I’m going to need a new tie.” He took both pieces off of her wrists, tossing them towards the waste basket.

“I’m sorry,” Karina panted, a blush appearing on her face. She touched his cheek and gave him a small smile. “That was a very nice way to wake up, Kotetsu.”

He grinned, kissing her hand quickly before pulling her into a close hug. “I’m glad you weren’t mad at me. I was worried it was going to backfire, but seeing that it didn’t, I’m glad I was able to make it happen. You were such an angel, just laying there as I tied you up.”

She squealed loud as his chin began to tickle the side of her neck. “Kotetsu!!”

“What?” He lifted his head, smiling from ear to ear. “You could have at least _tried_ to struggle, but nope. You were passed out. What happens if someone were to come and kidnap you, huh? You wouldn't even put up a fight!”

Giggling, she shook her head. “You are a sick bastard, you know that?”

“Ah, but you love me,” Kotetsu said, kissing her cheek.

She felt her stomach drop at those words. “Maybe I do,” she spoke softly, keeping her arms wrapped tightly around his neck.

“Karina-chan...” His voice was just as soft. “Will you let me say it now?” He pulled back, angling his neck so that he could look her in the eyes. Her stomach began to twist once more, as Karina gave a small nod of her head. Keeping his eyes locked on hers, Kotetsu spoke in a hushed voice. “I love you.”

Her breath was stolen away by the words she had always dreamed of hearing him say, but never thought they would one day become a reality for her. She kept staring at him, the words he had just said staying in her ear, making a bright smile appear on her face. After a few minutes, she saw his face start to look sad. “Kotetsu?? What is it?” She asked, beginning to worry.

“That’s it? No, ‘I love you too’?” Kotetsu’s voice was playful, but she could hear the sadness lying beneath it.

She squeaked again. “I didn’t say it?!” She was shocked by that admission, thinking that she had said it out loud. When Kotetsu shook his head, she began to cover his face in kisses. “Oh, Kotetsu. I’m so sorry. I thought I had said it. I guess I just thought it and forgot that I didn’t voice it. I love you too. I love you so much.”

Kotetsu laughed, shaking his head. “Too much!” She stopped her kisses, giggling softly at how happy the man sounded. “That’s much better. You had me worried, Hime.” He kissed the tip of her nose, the nickname making her face glow radiantly. “Do you like that?”

“I do,” Karina nodded her head, smiling. “It’s a beautiful nickname. Far better than _oji-san_.”

Groaning, Kotetsu pressed his face into the pillow. “What did I tell you about that? None of that business, please. I don’t want to hear it from the woman who has stolen my heart. I can’t take it.”

“Kotetsu....” Karina kissed his cheek as she laid down beside him. “Say that again?”

The older man turned his face and looked at her with just his left eye. “Say what? No _oji-san_?”

“No...the other thing,” Karina said, a snort bubbling out of her.

He raised his left eyebrow up. “I can’t take it that you’ve stolen my heart?”

“Yes, that’s it.” Karina nodded her head, smiling. “I like hearing you say that.”

“How about I love you?”

Laughing, she nodded. “Yes, I think I like hearing you say that too. Considering I’ve wanted to hear you say that to me for...oh, I don’t know...a couple of years?”

“Really??” Kotetsu asked, sitting up to look at her. The surprise was both evident on his face and in his inflection. “Have you really liked me that long?”

Blushing, she turned her head to hide into the pillow. “I still have that towel you gave to me.”

“Karina-chan...” Kotetsu said, touching her face with his fingertips, gently pulling her face to look towards him. “You shouldn’t be embarrassed.”

She looked up at him, resisting the urge to close her eyes to hide from him. “I can’t help it. I just..I don’t want you to think of my feelings as some silly girl’s feelings.”

“Karina, look at me.” Kotetsu said, pulling her to sit up with him. She kept her eyes on him. “If you think that I see you as some silly girl, you’re in for a surprise. I keep calling you ‘chan’ because it’s cute. I like calling you cute things. But you are far from a girl in my eyes. You are becoming a beautiful woman, and I am honored to hold a place in your heart.”

Her heart began to beat rapidly as she listened to the words he was saying. “Kotetsu,” she reached for his hand and held it with both of her own. “I know that what we say in here is different from what we’ll show to the rest of the world. But I do love you. And I’m glad to know that you share those feelings. But I’m also not a girl who lives with her head in the clouds.”

“What do you mean?” Kotetsu asked, beginning to rub small circles on the back of her hand. “Why should we be any different out there, than we are out here? All of our colleagues know what is going on between us. Who else matters?”

The heat began to tinge her cheeks. “Well, I can’t very well announced our relationship to my parents. We talked about that before.”

“Right,” Kotetsu said, hitting himself on the forehead. “Right. Parents. Oh gosh,” he looked over at the clock. “We should probably get you packed up.” He groaned, shaking his head. “I wish you didn’t have to leave.”

“Me either,” Karina said, watching as the sadness she felt inside of her appeared on her lover’s face. “But it’s okay. We still have time to eat, yes?”

“Of course,” the older man said. “Do you want to take a shower?”

Looking down at her body, she gave a small nod of her head. “I think it would be best.” She stood up on shaky legs, the offending appendages not ready to work after their intense session. Karina almost fell back on the bed, had it not been for Kotetsu’s quick reflexes. She sighed as he picked her up in his arms, holding her princess style, and walked her towards the bathroom. “Thank you,” she spoke quietly, keeping her head bowed.

He sat her down in the bath, turning on the faucet to run warm water. Plugging up the tub, Kotetsu added a capful of bubbles to the rapidly filling up tub. Soon, bubbles began to appear, cushioning her body into a warm, soapy paradise. She leaned her head back on the bathtub wall, sighing contentedly.

“Don’t fall asleep,” Kotetsu grinned, bending down to kiss her cheek. “I’ll go take care of your bag, okay?”

Nodding her head lazily, she gave him a small smile. “You’re so kind, Kotetsu. Just...pull out a pair of panties and my bra from last night, plus the track pants that are in there. Everything else can be packed away.”

“What about a shirt?” Kotetsu asked, tilting his head. “You don’t expect me to take you home in just a bra, right? Because we’d probably never leave the house, if that was your clothing choice. One, because I can’t let you go out into public like that, and two, because I’ll just want to play with your breasts all day.”

She began to laugh hysterically, partially from her tiredness and from how silly he sounded. “Kotetsu, I was going to ask you for one of your shirts. If that’s okay?”

“Oh...” Kotetsu said, a flush appearing on his cheeks. “O-of course, Karina-chan. I’ll give you a shirt. Now, enjoy your bath.” He blew her a kiss with the palm of his hand and left the bathroom, closing the door behind him.

Sinking into the bath, she couldn’t help but let the warm fuzzies of the past couple of days fill her head as she just allowed herself some peace and quiet.

After soaking for quite some time, she grabbed the soap and began to wash her body, taking extra care to be gentle, as her womanhood was screaming to be left alone for a bit after that session they had had. She bit her lip, moving her hand slowly, making sure she cleaned herself properly before rinsing off with the bathwater. She ducked her head under and gave herself a quick shampoo and conditioning, her hair feeling a little limp. But it always felt that way whenever she washed it in the bath. There was just something about a shower that cleaned her hair better, but her lack of energy was preventing her from taking one. Wringing out her hair, she leaned forward and unplugged the drain, and watched as the suds and water spiralled away.

She grabbed two towels, using one for her hair and wrapping the other around her chest. Feeling as clean as she could be, she walked out of the bathroom and walked back to Kotetsu’s bedroom. She saw that he had placed her clothes out, leaving her a black fitted undershirt of his own. Smiling, she grabbed the clothes and headed back to the bathroom, not wanting to drip all of his bedroom floor.

Once she had gotten dressed, her hair in a tight bun on her head, she walked downstairs, where she could hear the familiar sounds of a percolator. “Coffee?” She asked, walking up Kotetsu’s back, wrapping her arms around his waist.

“Mmmm...yes. I figured we could have a cup before we hit the road.” Kotetsu placed a hand over hers as she began to nuzzle his back. “Did you enjoy your bath?”

Karina nodded and giggled softly. “I did. And thank you for the shirt.” She stepped back and showed him her new prized possession.

“You look beautiful,” he spoke in a soft voice, loving the way she looked in his shirt. “You can keep that one. It looks much better on you, anyway.”

Laughing, she shook her head. “No, I’ll give it back. Besides, wouldn’t you want me to give it back to you, so you can smell my perfume all the time?” She batted her eyelashes at him playfully.

“Nnngh, Karina...don’t play games. We don’t have time to go again.” The percolator began to whistle, signaling it had reached the proper temperature. Karina kept laughing, loving how embarrassed her lover seemed to be at the moment.

They drank their coffee, having amicable conversation. Neither really spoke of anything important, as they kept their eyes on the clock. Time seemed to be moving a lot faster, now that it was getting closer and closer to the time she had to be back home. Standing up from the couch, Karina set her cup into the sink and walked back upstairs, grabbing her bag that Kotetsu seemed to have packed haphazardly for her. Giggling, she took out her small bottle of perfume and went over to his bed. Picking up the pillow she had used for the past two nights, she gave a small pump on the spray bottle, a fine mist covering the pillow in her perfume. Setting the pillow back on the bed, she slipped the bottle back into her bag and headed back downstairs.

“Did you still want to get some food?” Kotetsu asked, picking up his newsboy cap from the table. He placed it on his head, adjusting it back and forth a few times before settling on it staying in the middle.

Karina walked over to the front door and picked up her purse, as she slipped on her shoes that she had left there the night before. “No, I think I’m okay. We can just go back to my house. I’m sure there’s food in the fridge.”

“Alright.” Kotetsu walked over to her. Before opening the front door, he pushed her against it, holding her in place. Stretching upwards, Karina parted her lips and met him halfway, kissing him softly as he pressed her against the door. She moaned into the kiss, dropping her bag to wrap her arms around his neck as she felt his tongue begin to sweep along her bottom lip. opening her mouth for him, she rested her body against the door as she let him take her away with his fiery passion. The moment the tip of his tongue brushed against the top of her mouth, she cried out, her nails digging into his shoulders as her body begged for more.

They broke off the kiss, both panting softly. “Kotetsu..” She eyeballed him, her lips swollen with the kiss they had just shared.

“Right. I’m sorry,” Kotetsu said, adjusting his hat once more. “Shouldn’t have started that. There’s no time to do anything more.”

Nodding her head slowly, Karina picked her bag back up. “It’s okay. I want it just as badly as you do.” She opened the door and walked outside into the bright sunshine.

“Karina-chan!” Kotetsu said, taking the bag from her as he walked her to the car. “You’re not upset, right?”

Shaking her head, she looked at him. “Why would I be?” She opened the door to his car, and slipped into the passenger seat.

“I just want to make sure,” Kotetsu said, placing her bag behind her. He closed the door and headed to the driver’s side. “Look, I’ll make it up to you.”

Giggling, she buckled herself in. “Oh, I know you will.”

They drove towards her house in silence, a sudden feeling of dread beginning to fill Karina’s body. She began to think that maybe the weekend had been a mistake, that the man next to her really didn’t care about her the same way she cared about him. She was about to ask him, when he placed a hand on her knee and gave her a reassuring squeeze. That was all she needed, that soft touch quelling all of those thoughts in her head. As they turned down her stree, Karina’s eyes began large as her chest began to constrict.

“Karina? What is it?” Kotetsu asked, driving down the street. As they crawled closer and closer to her house, her throat began working again.

“My parents. They’re already home.”

…

* * *

**A/N** : Dun dun dun! What’s going to happen next? Stay tuned to find out! :D Thanks for reading!


	18. Chapter 18

Kotetsu gently eased down on the brakes, coming to a complete stop at the end of her street. “Did you just say your parents are home?” He asked, turning to look at her. “I thought you said they weren’t going to be home until this evening?” He could feel his palms become slick with sweat, his nerves starting to become riled up.

“That’s what I thought!” Her voice came out high-pitched, startling both of them. He reached down and placed a hand on her knee, giving it a soft squeeze. He waited until she turned and looked at him before releasing her knee.

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his domino mask, slipping it onto his face. “Want me to tell them we just had a mission?”

“No,” Karina said, reaching up to take off the black mask. She placed it in her lap and fiddled with it. “I don’t want to lie, because if they check the news and don’t see anything that requires the Heroes, then they’ll know I was lying.” She handed the mask back to him. “Thank you for wanting to do that, but it’s just better if you just drop me off.”

He gave a small nod of his head as he put the mask back into his pants pocket. “Are you sure? I...Karina-chan, I don’t want you to get into trouble.”

“It’s okay.” Karina looked at him with a small smile on her face. “I have a plan.”

Stepping off the brake, Kotetsu proceeded to drive down the street, stopping in front of her house. He watched her unbuckle her seatbelt. “Do you want me to help you with your bags?” He asked, moving to unbuckle his own seatbelt.

“No, it’s okay. Like I said, it would be better if you just drop me off.” She spoke quietly, meeting his eyes. “Sorry I can’t give you a proper kiss goodbye. I’ll make it up to you later.” She got out of the car and opened the back seat door, grabbing her bags before closing the door with a gentle slam. She closed the passenger door, giving the older man a wave and a smile before she began to walk up the pathway towards her house.

He sighed, unsure if what they were doing was the right thing. He really didn’t have a problem telling a tiny fib, if it meant that she wouldn’t get into trouble. But he did recognize she had a point about the news. It’s not like _every_ single time they do a job, it makes the news. But still. With her coming home with a couple of overnight bags? He exhaled slowly, taking off his newsboy cap to run his hand through his hair before replacing it back on the top of his head. He pulled away from the curb and headed back towards his house.

About halfway there, he felt his phone start to vibrate in his pocket. He pulled over to the side of the road and felt his heart sink when he saw a picture of a bison appear. “Hey, Antonio. Something up?” He placed the call on speaker, as he put his blinker back on, resuming the drive back towards his house.

“No, but I just wanted to check and see if you’d heard the news yet.” Antonio’s voice sounded garbled.

Kotetsu came to a stop at a red light. “Eh? What news? Did something happen? I haven’t gotten any...”

His right wrist began to flash, the green of wristband lighting up with the familiar ‘Call’ appearing across the band. He groaned. “Where is everyone?” Kotetsu spoke towards his phone, hoping Antonio would answer him.

“Eastside. Get your ass here and ‘pick up your phone’. Those are directly from Agnes.” Antonio shouted as there was a loud blast that sounded.

Sighing, Kotetsu hung up on his friend, knowing that he wouldn’t mind. Touching his wrist, he brought up the dulcet tones of HeroTV’s producer. “Took you long enough!” Agnes shouted at him.

“Where is the problem at?” Kotetsu asked, turning down a street to begin making his way towards the east side. He heard helicopters flying over, and began to follow them. “Never mind. I’ll just follow the leader.”

He could hear Agnes swearing under her breath as she began to call out what to do to her other producers. “Fine. Your suit is here, so don’t bother going to Apollon. Is Karina with you?”

“No? Why would she be?” Kotetsu was surprised by her question, unaware that the woman was privy to their new relationship.

“She’s not answering. It’s fine. We don’t need her, as long as you get here fast.” Agnes hung up, his wrist no longer glowing.

Kotetsu tried to ignore the warning bells in his head, not wanting to jump to any unnecessary conclusions. Speeding through traffic, he finally arrived at the destination, parking his car far enough away that if any fallout happened, he’d still have a working car. Locking up quickly, he dashed over to where the trailer was, where he’d no doubt find Saito. He opened the door quickly and went inside.   
“AH. YOU FINALLY SHOWED UP.”

Groaning, Kotetsu placed his right index finger in his ear, trying to get rid of the ringing in his ears. “You know, Saito-san, you don’t need to always shout. You’re amplified now.” He stepped near the chamber, undressing quickly to put on the black nylon suit on, before he got into it.

“I’M NOT SHOUTING. I’M TALKING NORMAL. YOU ARE JUST DEAF.” His voice came booming through the small tube as Kotetsu’s suit was grafted onto his body. “WHY WERE YOU SO LATE?”

Trying not to groan, Kotetsu shook his head. “Agnes only called me a little bit ago. Antonio actually called me first.” He slipped out of the chamber, once his Hero suit was on. “Is Bunny here?”

“YES. HE’S ALREADY OUT THERE. SAME WITH ROCK BISON AND FIRE EMBLEM.”

Kotetsu pulled his face shield down. “That’s it? No Sky High? No Blue Rose? No Origami Cyclone?”

“NO. AGNES KEPT IT SMALL. NOT A LARGE PROBLEM.”

“Care to let me know what the problem is?” He asked, beginning to step out of the trailer. Before his feet touched the pavement, he watched his partner slide across the ground on his knees backwards, firing one of the cables from his right arm. “Oi! Bunny-chan!” Kotetsu jumped over the cable, not wanting to trip on his face.

The pink-masked Hero glared at him. “Don’t call me that!”

“Yeah, yeah.” Kotetsu grinned, looking towards the suspect that was currently being wrapped up in the cable that Barnaby shot. “Is that the only one?”

Barnaby shook his head. “No, there’s one other that -” He stopped speaking as a wave of heat from an explosion hit the two of them.

“Sorry~!” Nathan sang out, his cape fluttering in the breeze. “But I got the last one!”

Having fallen backwards when the blast caught him off guard, Kotetsu stood back up quickly. “Why’d I even come?”

“Because, you’re supposed to be here.” Antonio appeared near him, the spikes on his shoulders clearly intimidating the suspect that Barnaby had caught. “And things weren’t looking good when I called you.”

With the HeroTV helicopter over them, shining the bright spotlight down, the two Heroes made their arrests and handed off the suspects to the Sternbild police. The two suspects stumbled into the back of the police van, which was promptly shut and locked. As Kotetsu was moving away from the van, he saw someone he wasn’t expecting to see.

“Is it over already?” Karina asked, in her Hero outfit. Kotetsu lifted his faceplate, a huge smile plastered on his face. “Sorry I was late. I didn’t get the call right away.”

Barnaby nodded, taking off his helmet. “We just finished up. I thought Agnes called you a while ago?” His hair flipped as he shook it out. “We actually didn’t need you, so it was a good thing you didn’t come.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Kotetsu asked, his voice a bit upset. He didn’t appreciate the way his partner was acting towards his lover. “Are you saying she wasn’t good enough to be around? What’s my excuse, then?”

Karina snorted and shook her head, the movement making the ice thorns on her lower back sway. “I don’t think he meant it the way you think he did, Kotetsu.” She walked over to him, and gave him a playful shove. “Besides, I didn’t see you do anything out there to help.”

“Because it was already over by the time I got into my suit!” He said with a hint of grumpiness. “I got here as fast as I could.” He kept his hands by his side, when all he wanted to do was wrap his arm around Karina’s small waist, so he could feel her body against his. Well, as much as the the hero suit would allow him. He groaned as the spotlight waved over them once more. He shut his faceplate, hiding his domino mask and got into the trailer. He could hear Karina giggling as he hoped she would follow him.

“ALREADY DONE?” Saito’s voice came over the speakers. Kotetsu took off his helmet and held onto it underneath his right arm. “DID YOU GET THE BAD GUYS?”

Flopping onto one of couches, Kotetsu sighed. “Can’t you see from where you’re sitting? And why, oh why, do you have to keep screaming?”

“Blue Rose, are you going to head back to headquarters with us?” Barnaby asked, closing the door to the trailer behind him. Kotetsu heard the engines start, and sighed with relief when there were no more shouts coming from the speakers.

The younger girl’s eyes widened, then returned to their normal size as she began to giggle. “Well, considering the vehicle is now moving, I think that answer would be yes.” She reached behind her back and unclipped the thorns, setting the down so she could sit comfortably next to Kotetsu.

Kotetsu watched as Barnaby went over to the chamber he used, waiting anxiously for the man to disappear behind the doors, so that Kotetsu could give Karina the proper greeting. As soon as the doors slid shut, he leaned over and kissed Karina on the lips quickly, grinning at the surprised look on her face. “What? Can’t I kiss you hello?”

“I....” Karina’s cheeks became bright red. “I guess so?” She tapped on his arm. “Aren’t you forgetting something?”

“I don’t know what.” Kotetsu said, his heart lighter. “Why didn’t you get the call earlier? And what happened with your parents? Did they say anything, or punish you, or -” He stopped talking as he saw her staring at him. “What is it, Hime? What’s wrong?”

She put her hand on his arm and gave a firm knock with her knuckles. “This? How can you sit comfortably with the suit still on?”

“Aye!” Kotetsu jumped up and walked over to his own chamber. “I didn’t even think about it.” The door closed as he laid back, allowing the machine to remove the suit from his body. He waited for the robot to be finished, and was thankful for the chamber doors sliding open. Stepping out, he saw that Barnaby was sitting across from Karina, still in his tight nylon suit. “You better not be making the moves on her, Bunny-chan.” He gave his partner a smirk.

Karina rolled her eyes. “He was doing no such thing. You need to learn to control your jealousy. Just because he was keeping me company, while _you_ forgot you had to take a bulky suit off is not my problem.”

“Ka- _rina_!” He whined, not caring as he flopped onto the couch near her. He laid on his back and placed his head on her exposed thigh, looking up at her. “Don’t be so mean to me, please? I only had one thought on my mind when we got back in here.”

“If you say sex, then I will ask Saito to pull over, so I can walk home.” Barnaby said, pushing his glasses up onto the bridge of his nose.

Kotetsu closed his eyes and griped out loud. “Shit! My car!” He sighed. “I left it parked two blocks from where the arrest happened. How am I going to get home now?”

“I’m sure I am more than capable of taking you back to your car,” Barnaby said, a smirk appearing on his face. “Now who’s the irresponsible one?”

Karina burst out laughing. “Is this how you two act when you’re heading back to headquarters? How is it you two even work together as a team?” She shook her head, her fingers idly finding their way into Kotetsu’s hair. The older man sighed happily, the ploy of getting her to touch his hair working like a charm, as his head continued to rest on her thigh. “I mean, I know you two are the only “team” players, but if all you do is bicker?”

“It’s better this way, Hime,” Kotetsu said, closing his eyes, humming softly. “It’s either bicker, or he makes fun of how stupid I am.”

“Can’t say I blame him, _oji-san_.” His eyes flew open at her calling him by that name. He quickly sat up and crossed his arms over his chest, as he heard Barnaby snort. “Oh, come on!” Karina laughed, placing a hand on his arm. “You can’t be serious right now!”

Staring at the wall, Kotetsu kept the pout on his face. “First from him, and now from you. I thought you weren’t going to call me that anymore.”

“I bet her $5 that she wouldn’t call you that.” Barnaby crossed his leg and gave him another smirk. “Looks like I owe her some money.”

Giggling, Karina shook her head. “No, it’s okay. I was going to call him that anyway. It just made it more entertaining for me with the small bet.”

“Karina, will you join us for some food, after our briefing?” Barnaby asked, his eyes dancing. Kotetsu narrowed his own as he looked at his partner, afraid of what the man had up his sleeve.

“I’d love-” Karina began to speak, before Kotetsu placed a hand over her mouth. Her voice became higher pitched as she tried to speak through his hand.

He looked at her, and shook his head. “No. You and I need to go and talk alone.” He looked at Barnaby. “Sorry, Bunny-chan. A raincheck? Perhaps next weekend, we can all go out. Tonight, however, Karina-chan and I have some talking to do.” He looked into her eyes and saw that she finally understood what he was getting at. He removed his hand, wiping it off on his leg. “Sheesh, thanks for covering my hand in drool.” He teased her playfully.

“Why, I...”

The trailer came to a slow stop. “WE’RE BACK AT HEADQUARTERS.”

The trio all closed their eyes tightly, wincing together, as Saito’s voice came ringing out over the speakers. Grabbing her vines, Karina opened the door and exited, not wanting to be audibly assaulted again. Kotetsu gave a small wave to Barnaby before charging out after her, grabbing his clothes on the way out. They both arrived at the elevator at the same time, their fingers touching one another as they pressed the ‘Up’ button.

“You didn’t wait for your partner?” Karina asked, glancing over her shoulder. She saw Barnaby walking slow towards them. The elevator dinged, opening up for them.

Without a second thought, Kotetsu grabbed her hand and pulled her into the elevator, hearing a scoff from his partner’s mouth as he pressed the button for the top floor. As the doors slid closed, he gently pushed her against the metal wall, leaning down to kiss her. “C-Cameras,” Karina whispered quietly, as her eyes shifted to the red dot up in the corner of the ceiling.

He let go of her quickly, and stepped to the side, brushing off some imaginary lint off her shoulder. “I hope you have a change of clothes here?” He asked, turning to face the metal doors.

“I do,” Karina said, nodding her head. “How are you going to get back to your car?”

Kotetsu leaned against the opposite wall, holding his clothes in his hands. “I guess Bunny? It’s a shame you’re not able to drive yet, Hime.” He smiled as her nickname caused her cheeks to inflame. “How did it go with your parents?”

“It was fine,” Karina said, looking down at the floor, attempting to hide her blush. “They didn’t even really care. I thought my father was going to ask a question, but then, surprisingly, my mother saved me.” She giggled, looking back up at him. “So, I didn’t even have to tell any sort of lie. I don’t know what they assumed, but it wasn’t anything too horrible.”

He gave her a quick hug, before the elevator announced they had arrived at their floor. He gave her blue hair a tousle. “I’m glad, Karina-chan. That makes me very happy to hear. Since our mission is over, do you think they’d mind terribly if you were a little late getting back tonight?” He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

“I have school tomorrow!” She squeaked, stepping out of the elevator with him.

Striking his forehead with his hand, he let out a soft groan. “Right, I forgot. Okay, then. Raincheck? Can I drive you back home?” The two of them headed towards the gym, where they knew Agnes would be meeting them.

“How do you think that’s going to happen, if Barnaby-san has to take you to your car? Unless he got a car that isn’t just a two-seater?” Karina shook her head. “I’ll see you after our briefing.” She headed to the ladies locker room, leaving Kotetsu standing there.

“She’s right,” Barnaby said, appearing behind him. “As much as I’m sure you’d love for her to sit on your lap the entire way to your car, I cannot condone such behavior.”

Kotetsu shot his partner a mirthful glare, not quite willing to be mean to his partner. “Hah! Like I would ever think about doing something like that!”

The two walked into the locker room together, where Antonio and Nathan were just finishing getting dressed back into their civilian clothes. “Don’t take too long. You know how she gets if you keep her waiting too long.” Antonio slung his bag over his shoulder and walked out of the locker room, leaving Kotetsu alone with Barnaby.

“You honestly have never thought about doing something with her like that?” Barnaby asked, stripping out of his nylon suit. “That actually surprises me, oji-san.”

Kotetsu changed quickly, not trusting his temperament around Barnaby. “Listen to me, Bunny-chan. If you think I would put her life into danger by doing something reckless like that, you’re mistaken. I would never do anything to hurt a hair on her body.” He tossed his nylon suit into his locker, knowing that Saito would come and collect it, just to make sure it had withstood the minor action he had seen earlier. “Don’t take too long.” He left the locker room, leaving his partner alone.

“Finally,” Agnes said a few minutes later, when Barnaby strolled out. “I appreciate you coming out, Blue Rose, even though you didn’t make it until after everything had happened. We got great reviews this afternoon, so the network is pleased. Try and keep it up. You don’t want me to bring in the second string, do you?”

“Oh, no!” Nathan cooed, feigning disappointment. “Not that!”

Antonio chuckled under his breath, shaking his head. Agnes shot the flamboyant man a death glare, instantly shutting the man up. “Now then, that’s all I wanted to say. Nothing too important. Try and answer your calls when I send them. It isn’t as if I’m calling to gossip about life. I’m calling you because you have a job to do for me, and for the city.” Agnes grabbed her small steno pad and walked out of the training facility.

“She’s always so.....” Kotetsu said, crossing his arms over his chest.

“To the point? Uncaring? Only cares about how our lives affect her career?” Antonio said, grinning. “Feel like getting a beer?”

Kotetsu saw that Karina was talking to Barnaby in the corner, while Nathan was examining himself in a handheld mirror. He shook his head. “No, I can’t. I have to go get my car where the arrest happened today. I forgot I had parked it there, and Bunny offered to drive me back.”

“I don’t mind taking you there, you know.” Antonio said. “Come on. I’m sure Barnaby will be fine. Does Blue Rose need a ride home too?”

Barnaby walked over to them. “I couldn’t help but overhear what Antonio was suggesting. Oji-san, go with him. I’ll make sure Karina gets back home safely.”

“Are you sure?” Kotetsu asked, looking at his lover. She gave him a smile and a nod of her head, expelling any doubt that may have entered his mind. “Okay, then.” He knew that everyone there knew of their status, so he had no qualms as he leaned over and gave her a soft kiss on the cheek. “I’ll send you a text when I get home, okay?”

The young woman kissed his cheek in return, giving him a quick hug before stepping away. “That sounds good.” She looked over at Antonio. “Please make sure he doesn’t drink too much?”

Antonio gave a low bow of his head. “Of course, Karina-chan. I won’t let him make a fool of himself. Well, anymore than he already does on his own.”

‘“Arigatou,” she giggled quietly. “Ready, Barnaby-san?”

Kotetsu watched the two walk away and looked at Antonio. “Alright, where did you have in mind?”

“How about the Hero’s Bar?” Nathan asked, sauntering up to the two of them. Antonio rolled his eyes. “What?”

The grizzly man smirked “Why do you want to go there, when you know they’re just going to be rehashing what we went through?”

“Because I like seeing myself on the big television, Handsome~.” Nathan squeezed Antonio’s butt, chortling as he raced away quickly, before the larger man could dole out any damage to him.

Kotetsu reached into his pants pocket, looking at his phone. He saw that there were no missed calls or unread messages He slipped it back into his pants pocket and saw Antonio watching him. “What is it?”

“Nothing. Come on. First round’s on me.” Antonio dragged Kotetsu to the elevator. Unable to argue with that logic, Kotetsu allowed himself to be led to whatever watering hole they were going to end up first.

…

* * *

**A/N:** A little fluffy chapter for you. Don’t worry, the smexiness shall return soon. :D 


	19. Chapter 19

Kotetsu opened the car door and almost fell down on his face, but quickly grabbed the door before he became friends with what most people would call grass. But right now, the grass was his enemy, and he just wanted to get into his house, and crawl into his bed. Grumbling to himself, he slammed the car door, tired of hearing Antonio’s chuckles.

“I’ll be back in the morning to drive you to your car.” Antonio stuck his head out of the sunroof, keeping his eyes on Kotetsu.

Raising up his left hand, making sure the appropriate finger was extended, Kotetsu swayed on the doorstep. He pushed his key into the lock, entering into his house as he heard his old friend still laughing at his pathetic form. He leaned against the front door and fished his phone out of his pocket. He had looked at it so many times during the night that there was only fifteen percent left of his battery. _Still nothing._ He sighed loudly as he took off his cap, throwing it onto the living room table. Dropping his keys into his hat, he ran a hand through his hair.

His eyes wandered back and forth, between the couch and the stairs, doubt filling his mind as he didn’t think his coordination in his current state would allow him to get up the stairs successfully. Antonio had kept handing him drink after drink, and it had been so long since he had just hung out with his friend, that he lost count after the fourth souju. He moved blindly through his apartment, grabbing a glass from the kitchen counter as he turned on the faucet with one hand. Knowing that he would be very sorry if he didn’t down a glass of water before passing out on the couch, he filled the glass and drank it down with three loud gulps. Sticking the empty glass back under the tap, he filled the glass up once more and then turned the faucet off. Swallowing down his second glass at a little slower pace, he reached into his pocket and checked his phone again. _Still nothing!_ Kotetsu debated about trying to send Karina a text, but he could barely read the large numbers that told the time. There was no way he was going to be able to send a somewhat coherent message. He didn’t want to worry his lover, so he placed his phone back in his pocket as he finished off the water.

Kotetsu walked over to the couch, groaning as his knee banged into the side of the table, his peripheral vision not at all working. Settling down on the couch, he laid back and undid his tie, throwing it haphazardly where his hat was. He prayed to whatever deity that his phone would hold a charge long enough through the rest of the hours of the night, which there weren’t that many. He hoped that Karina had just fallen asleep after Bunny had taken her home, and that she wasn’t texting him because Bunny had told her silly lies about him and how he acts. Turning on his side, he lasted about two minutes before passing out.

Walking down the stairs quietly, Karina saw her lover passed out on the couch, the stench of alcohol making her nose burn. After Barnaby had taken her home, she had wanted to surprise her lover by waiting for him in his bed. She had told her parents that she was pulling an all night study session, which she had cleared with her two cohorts, who were more than happy to oblige. So, she had taken a cab to Kotetsu’s place, keeping the key he had given her in the center of her palm. She was worried about how he may react to her being back there, but she definitely hadn’t expected him to be this....shit-faced.

She saw that there was just enough room for her to lay on the couch beside him, but was a little bit worried that he may turn over, and then she would probably end up on the floor. “Kotetsu, I can’t leave you alone for an evening, can I?” She spoke quietly, a smile on her face. Reaching for the blanket on the back of the couch, Karina placed it over him, tucking him in gently. “Sweet dreams, baka. If you wake up and decide to go to your bedroom, well, hopefully my being there won’t be too much of a burden.” She kissed his cheek softly.

“Mmmm....good time...Karina-chan...”

Karina stayed perfectly still, surprised that he was speaking in his sleep. And saying her name. A bright blush appeared on her cheeks, making her wish that he had made the trip up the stairs.

When she heard him come home, the racket he had made had woken her up quickly. She had fallen asleep after waiting up for him well past midnight, but wasn’t sure just when she had passed out. She had laid out on the bed, as seductively as she could, no clothes on and no blankets covering her. But then she heard him stumbling around, and she knew that he probably wasn’t going to make it up to where she was. She had struggled with being in the bed, or being on the couch. Now that she was listening to him mutter more in his sleep, she almost wished she could have been waiting down here, completely naked for him. Once he had settled down from his dream, she pulled away and made her way back up the stairs, tiptoeing quietly.

Karina settled back in the bed, covering herself with both the sheet and blanket, the coolness of the fitted sheet soothing her hot body. Hearing her boyfriend say her name in his sleep had done a number on her, shocked to know that he thought of her even while sleeping. Never did she imagine that he would be the same way she was; constantly thinking about him, dreaming about him, wishing to be with him when he wasn’t around. She closed her eyes, falling back asleep, trying to not let how her surprise had failed miserably.

After sleeping for a couple of hours, Kotetsu woke up, completely disoriented. _How’d I get this blanket??_ He didn’t remember pulling it off the couch to cover himself up, but then again, he hadn’t been very coherent when he had come home. Looking over at his kitchen, he saw the green lit clock on his microwave telling him it was half past three in the morning. Groaning, he sat up and held his head, his equilibrium still off-kilter. Pushing the blanket off of him, he stood up and swayed for a moment before standing straight.

Walking over to the stairs, he grabbed onto the railing and took each step carefully, the thought of laying in his bed all too enticing. He hoped that Antonio wouldn’t be knocking on his door at the crack of dawn, so he could get a few hours of sleep without interruption. He was happy that some of the alcohol seemed to be lacking in his body, as he was functioning almost normally now. He got to the top of the stairs and headed towards the bathroom. He closed the bathroom door with a click, keeping the light off to not burn his retinas.

Karina sat up when she heard the sound of a door closing. Always the light sleeper, she hopped out of the bed quietly and stood outside the bedroom, looking down on the living room. _He got up._ She turned her head and looked at the bathroom, noticing there was no light on. _Huh. Is he in there? Or did I just imagine it...?_ As she stared at the door, she heard the toilet flush, a rush of nervous energy hitting her system like a bolt of lightning, as she raced back into the bedroom. She positioned herself back in the center of the bed, keeping the covers off of her. She heard Kotetsu shuffling his feet outside the door. At the last second, she grabbed the sheet and blanket, and threw it back over her, hiding herself.

Blinking a few times, Kotetsu saw that his bed wasn’t quite the way it had been when they had left this morning. Shaking it off as his addled brain, he lifted the sheet up and stopped. He shook his head and looked down at the bed, not quite sure if what he was seeing was really there. “Karina?” His throat was raw, dehydrated still, forcing him to clear his throat as he stared down at the vision in his bed, blinking a few times to make sure he wasn’t dreaming.

“Took you long enough to make your way up here,” Karina said, her body becoming flushed as Kotetsu’s amber eyes shone with what looked like desire. She arched her back, stretching out on the bed, showing him more of her body, attempting to channel the sex kitten she knew he liked to see. “I was afraid I’d just have to let myself out in the morning, and you would never even know that I had been waiting up here for you.” She paused a moment, locking eyes with him. “All night, waiting for you, as naked as I can be.”

The older man let out a low groan. Quickly stripping off his clothes, Kotetsu climbed into the bed with her, pulling her to mold against his naked form. “You’ve been up here all night...?” He kissed her shoulder, inhaling her soft scent, which smelled like grapefruit, albeit faintly.

“Didn’t you wonder why I hadn’t...ahh.....sent you a text....?” She moaned softly, leaning her head back as his lips began to wander from her shoulder towards her neck. The soft bristles of his goatee scraped against her soft skin, feeling quite heavenly. 

Kotetsu kissed her collarbone with soft kisses. “Would you believe me if I said no?”

“No,” Karina giggled breathlessly as his teeth began to pull gently on her neck. “I thought you would never lie to me.” She leaned her back, pressing her face into the pillows as she moaned a bit louder, Kotetsu’s mouth now sucking a mark on her lower neck. “M-Make sure...it can be...covered up...”

Lapping at the barely there mark, Kotetsu’s tongue swept over it a few more times, enjoying how Karina began to writhe on the bed. “It’s not that big...” He kissed the mark before rolling onto his side, pulling her against him, her back against his chest. Reaching up, he pushed her hair to the side, her skin now visible to him. “I’m so sorry that I made you wait for me, Karina-chan....” A little nibble on her ear gave him the reaction he was hoping for, as she arched back into him, the feel of her cool back on his chest. “Why didn’t you send me a text...?”

“Because....I wanted to surprise....ah....you...K-Kotetsu...” She moaned softly as his left arm wrapped around her body, his hand cupping her left breast softly. His fingers danced along her nipple, before closing around it, twisting it gently. “Aaah!!” Her body arched again, this time moving away from him, trying to make him cup her breast again, instead of torturing her with just his fingertips.

Twisting a little more, Kotetsu rested his head against the side of her neck. “Well, it’s quite a wonderful surprise...I wish that Antonio hadn’t kept handing me drinks...” He kissed the hollow of her neck, Karina leaning her head to the side for him. “My apologies if my breath smells like liquor, Karina....If you want, I can go and quickly brush my teeth for you?”

“No,” Karina lifted her left leg, and wrapped it around Kotetsu’s leg. She bit her lip, stifling a soft moan as she felt that he was rather enjoying this as much as she was. Rolling her hips backwards, she tested the waters, wanting to see what he’d say at her suggestiveness. She released her lower lip, moaning wantonly as his fingers pinched her delicate skin more. She lifted her hips more until she felt the tip of his arousal finally in the position she was looking for.

A low groan escaped Kotetsu’s throat. “Karina...” His fingers stopped playing with her nipple, and wrapped around her form tighter. “I don’t know how much use I’ll be to you, but let me give you the pleasure you deserve...” With a quick thrust of his hips, he pushed himself to be buried within the warm folds of her body, both moaning in unison.

“W-What...do you....aah....mean....” Karina pushed backwards, feeling him slip further into her body. This position was turning out to be quite pleasing, as she enjoyed feeling the planes of

Kotetsu’s chest against her back. Dying to feel his lips against her neck, she tilted her head, offering it to him as their bodies rocked slowly together.

Taking her hint, Kotetsu’s mouth found the hollow her neck, as he closed his eyes, just relishing in how it good it felt to be back inside of her. “Liquor...makes it...difficult....to come....” He groaned as she pushed herself back more forcefully, the movement of her backside pressing against the base of his arousal, as well as the top of his sac. “Nnggh....Karina...” He pulled her body closer to his, rolling his hips forward.

“Sounds like....a challenge....to me...” She arched her chest as Kotetsu’s hand began to trail down the center of her body, his fingers barely touching her skin. Shaking as she felt him begin to move faster, she lifted her knee higher up on his leg, letting out a shrill moan as he began to press against her in just the right way.

His fingers stopped at the top of her womanhood, and as carefully as he could, Kotetsu slipped his fingers down, touching what he knew to be the most sensitive spot on her body. Karina shook as his fingers began to caress that spot, his fingers becoming slick with her natural lubricant, as he pushed himself deeper inside of her. The pads of his fingertips coaxed her body to reveal her special spot more, and once he felt the hardness of it, began to rock his hips faster. His fingers moved in a circular motion, feeling her begin to pulsate against his hand, as well as beginning to clench around his arousal, making him moan low.

“K-Kotetsu....” Karina moaned loud as she felt herself climax, the gentle movements of his fingers against her, and the thrust of his hips, were her undoing. She rode out her orgasm, as he continued to pump slowly into her body, low moans dueting with her soft moans.

Once he felt her begin to twitch against his fingers, he pulled his hand away. Not wanting to make her feel uncomfortable with the wetness that was on his hands, he reached behind him and wiped it off on the bed sheet. She panted softly, resting her back against his chest, her eyes falling closed. “Sleepy, Karina-chan?” He teased her, kissing her cheek softly.

“M-Maybe...” She yawned softly, scooting closer to him. “Did you...?”

Kotetsu shook his head. “No, Hime. I didn’t, but it’s okay. I told you that this may happen. Chalk it up to me being old.”

“Mmm...if you say so, oji-san...” Her voice grew softer and softer with each word. He could hardly get mad at her for calling him that, as he knew she meant it in a teasing manner.

Gently slipping out of her, he adjusted her body to lay on her back, keeping an arm wrapped around her. “Sweet dreams, Karina-chan. I am glad you came to surprise me, as I had a dream downstairs that you were there with me.” Pausing, he shook his head and groaned. “I guess that wasn’t really a dream, was it? That actually did happen.”

A quiet snore passed from Karina’s lips, signaling that she had fallen asleep. Reaching backwards, Kotetsu made sure to turn the alarm on, hoping it was set for the right time so his lover would have enough time to get ready for school. Closing his eyes, he pulled her close to his body and soon, sleep took him once more.

…

The alarm sounded with a loud buzzing too soon after they fell asleep. Rolling over, Kotetsu hit the alarm’s snooze, and grabbed his lover’s warm body. Only, where there should have been a warm body, there was an empty space. Growling low, he heaved himself out of the bed, turning the alarm completely off, and stalked out of the bedroom.

As he was about to call out his lover’s name, he heard the shower head running, as well as the soft dulcet tones of Karina’s voice singing the song they had heard at the restaurant the other night. Ever the gentleman, he gently knocked on the door and opened it ajar. “Karina? Are you alright?”

“I’m fine, Kotetsu.” She poked her head out of the shower, her hair soaped up with shampoo. “Did I wake you up? I didn’t think I was that loud.” A hint of a blush appeared on her cheeks, but Kotetsu couldn’t see it, as his eyes kept trying to take a peek behind the curtain. “Oy! Eyes up here, mister!” She flung her hand at him, water drops hitting his face.

Wiping his face off, Kotetsu shook his head. “I’m allowed to take a look at your body, aren’t I? I mean, it’s not _my_ fault you’re as beautiful as you are, Karina.”

She hid herself back in the shower, her face now on fire at the simple compliment he had just given her. “Well, I appreciate that you want to look at me, but I’ve got to get ready for school. My friend is picking me up at 6:45, which doesn’t leave you and I enough time to enjoy ea-eeek!!” She squealed loud as Kotetsu wrapped his arms around her body, pulling her close to him. “Kotetsu!!!! What did I just say?!”

“I have no idea,” Kotetsu nuzzled her shoulder. “Something about no fun, or something like that.” He guided her to the running water, and began to gently massage her scalp, washing the shampoo out of her hair. She moaned softly, standing directly under the spray. “What happened to not having time to do anything?”

Keeping her eyes closed, Karina gave a shrug of her shoulders. “I guess this is okay...” She let out another soft moan, as Kotetsu’s fingers began massaging her scalp with more force. “It feels really nice, Kotetsu...”

“That’s what I thought.” Kotetsu pulled his hands back and grabbed the conditioner. He began to run it through her hair, keeping his body close to hers, just enjoying the nearness of her. “Do you have plans after school today?”

Karina’s mind was blank, as she just relaxed into the gentle touches of his fingers “Hmm? Did you ask me a question?”

“I asked if you had plans after school, Karina-chan.” Kotetsu finished massaging, and began to rinse out her hair again. “If you have no plans, I can see if I can leave work a little early, and come pick you up?”

Finally registering what he was saying, Karina sighed softly. “I wish that I could, but I have study group after school today. I have study group after school every day this week. We’ve got a group project that is due next Monday.”

“So, when will I get to see you again?” Kotetsu asked, kissing her upper arm. “Your hair is all finished, Karina-chan.” He took a step back, allowing her to have some room, if she wanted.

Without realizing it, she followed him, staying close to him. “I guess on Friday? Unless we get Hero work. I’m not working at the lounge this week because of this project.”

“Well, will you text me? Call me?” Kotetsu looked down at her, tucking some of her wet hair behind her ear.

Looking up at him, she wrapped her arms around his neck. “Of course I will. The only reason I didn’t text you last night is because I wanted to surprise you.”

“I thought it was because Bunny told you something absurd about me, and that made you never want to speak to me again.”

Karina laughed, pressing herself closer to his body. “Kotetsu, do you really have no faith in me? He did tell me some silly stuff about you, but it wasn’t anything I didn’t know.” She stood on her tiptoes and kissed the side of his face, moaning softly as she felt his stubble against her lips. “I know not to keep you guessing, _oji-san_.” She fell onto the balls of her feet with a soft thud. Kneeling down on the shower floor, she began to kiss his arousal, which was very alert for her.

“K-Karina....what are....?” Kotetsu moaned low as her lips swallowed him down. Now it was his turn to lose all coherent thought.

Pulling back, Karina kissed the tip softly. “Well, if I won’t get to see you until the end of this week, unless we see each other for work, I need to leave you with something to fantasize about all week, don’t I?” She licked the small slit, moaning softly as the salty substance he secreted came out of the tip, collecting on her tongue. “And _someone_ didn’t get to finish last night...” She rubbed her tongue against the crown a little more, before swallowing him back down her throat.

“Nnngh.....Fantasize.....?” Kotetsu placed his hand on the shower wall, moaning as her mouth began to suck a bit harder. The feel of her tongue against the base of his cock was making his brain malfunction, making it very difficult for him to not move his hips and control her movements. He didn’t want to scare her away, and hoped that one day he might be able to do that with her. But, what she was doing now was perfect, and nothing needed to change. Moaning lower, he began to give her words of encouragement, as he felt himself getting closer and closer to the edge. “Karina, like that....use your tongue like....nnngh....yeah, like that....” He groaned lower as she began to suck harder on him, the sensation incredible. “Hime....I’m very close.....” He slammed his hand against the shower wall, praying that he wasn’t scaring her as she began to move her mouth faster. “Gonna....” He wasn’t able to finish his thought as he began to orgasm, the gentle suction of her mouth continuing as she swallowed his release, soft moans intermingling with his own low, guttural ones.

With a final sweep of her tongue, Karina pulled back, and stood up on her feet. She wiped her mouth, and gave her lover a shy smile. “I hope that was good?”

“It was amazing...” Kotetsu pulled her into a hug and held her tight. “I’m going to be so lonely without you this week. I’ve gotten so used to you being here with me.”

She hugged him back, resting her head against his chest. “I know, me too. But just look at it this way? Friday should be lots of fun, hmm?” She lifted her head and guided his head down towards hers, kissing him softly. Kotetsu moaned into the soft kiss, his stomach dipping a little at the subtle taste of himself on her lips. “I need to get ready now. Will you be out soon?” She let go of him, and wrung out her hair.

“Yeah. Go and get ready. I don’t want your friend to be upset if you’re late.”

“Okay.” Karina got out of the shower, leaving him alone to do his business.

After finishing his shower, he wrapped a towel around his waist, skipping on shaving his cheeks for favor of saying goodbye to his lover. As he was walking down the stairs, he saw that she was gathering her book bag up and hoisting it over her shoulder. “Karina?” He walked over to her, stopping her with his hand on her arm.

“Yes, Kotetsu?” She looked up at him, her smile infectious.

“Don’t forget to text me, okay?” He bent down, kissing her quickly as a horn began to honk. “I love you,” he whispered against her lips, his heart lighter at the admission.

Another rosy tint appeared on her cheeks. “I love you too. And I won’t. I promise.” She opened the front door after he hid himself, and closed the door, leaving him all alone once more.

_This week is not going to be fun._ Kotetsu walked over to his couch and sat down, sighing sadly. He was not ready for this, for feeling this intensely for someone he hadn’t known intimately for too long. But, there was nothing that could be done. He just hoped that the week would pass by fast.

…

* * *

**A/N:** Will Kotetsu and Karina make it through the week? Or will the Heroes get called for HeroTV? I guess we’ll find out soon enough. Thanks for reading! :D


	20. Chapter 20

The last bell rang of the day, signalling the weekend to all the students in the class. Without waiting, Karina jumped up with her bookbag and raced out of the class, happy to finally be free after a very long, and torturous week of school. She skipped out to the front of school, where her mother was waiting for her, parked in the same spot she parked in every day to pick up her only daughter.

“Did you have a good day at school, Karina-chan?” Her mother asked, once she got seated in the car and buckled in.

Karina nodded her head, and turned to look at her mom. “I did. I’m happy it’s the weekend.” She pulled out her phone, and looked at it longingly. Her fingers rubbed over the screen, as she looked down at her lap. “Mom, is it okay if I spend the night at Jane’s tonight? We just want to stay up really late.”

“Sure, sweetie. That’s fine, as long as your father agrees.” Karina’s mother pulled into traffic, keeping her eyes on the road.

“Can I send him a text?” Karina asked, hating that she had to get both of her parents’ approval before making any plans. She was almost eighteen, but knew if she brought that up, then it would probably just be thrown back in her face. If she brought it up, she was more than positive that her parents would call Jane and make sure she was where she said she was. And that wouldn’t work, as she wasn’t going to be there, she was going to be with the man she had been anxious to see all week long.

No major events had happened during the week requiring any Heroes help, so Karina had been stuck at home, working on her group project with no fun outlet. She had spoken to Kotetsu a few times, but hearing his voice hurt her heart, as she wanted to see him face to face, and not have to do this ‘distance’ deal while she had to focus on school. However, since she wasn’t distracted by him, she was able to get a lot accomplished during the daylight hours. But when it became nighttime, she was glued to her phone, texting him back and forth until she ended up passing out in mid conversation, usually. She giggled, shaking her head as she thought about how frustrated her boyfriend must be with her, but she had plans to make it up to him.

“What are you giggling at, Karina?” Her mother asked, pulling into the driveway. “Oh, you won’t need to text your father, as it seems he’s already home.”

Putting her phone into her backpack, Karina smiled. “Do you think he’ll say no, mom?”

“I’m not your father.” Turning off the car, the doors unlocked, allowing the teen to hop out quickly. “Karina, don’t pester him either!”

She turned and looked at her mom, smiling. “Why would you think I would do that??” She giggled, opening the front door and stepping in. “Otou-san??”

“In here, Karina,” her father said from the study. She kept her backpack over her shoulder as she walked over to where her father’s home office was and stood at the doorway. “Would you like to come in?” He asked, looking up from his computer screen.

Blushing, she gave a small nod of her head and stood in the room. “I...I have a question.”

“Go ahead.” He went back to typing, his head looking back down at his computer.

“I was hoping to go and spend the night at my friend Jane’s tonight. I won’t be up late, and I’ll be home tomorrow in the afternoon. It’s just been a very long week, and we just want to be girls and have a small slumber party.” She knew she was rambling, but when it came to asking her for her father’s permission, she found that she wasn’t able to stop herself from talking fast.

Her father lifted his head. “Will her parents be home?” Karina nodded her head rapidly, and gave him a big smile, hoping that he would say yes. “It’s fine with me, as long as it’s fine with your mother. We won’t have to take you there, will we?”

“Nope!” She walked over to him, kissing his cheek. “Thanks, papa.” She giggled as he shook his head, shooing her out of the study. Walking into the kitchen, she saw her mother was standing in front of the fridge, probably debating about what to make for dinner. “He said yes, mama. So, I’ll just call Jane and let her know it’s okay?”

“Yes, that’s fine,” her mother stayed in her spot. “Are you going to have dinner with us, sweetie?”

“No, they’ll feed me! So, why don’t you and dad enjoy a night out?” She giggled as she raced up the stairs, heading to her bedroom. She didn’t hear another word from her mother as she closed her bedroom door and flopped on the bed, grabbing her bag before she forgot. Pulling out her cell phone, she opened the last text that Kotetsu had sent to her and began typing.

Across town, Kotetsu sat at his desk in Apollon towers, bored out of his mind. He looked over and saw that Barnaby was working on some sort of project for their director, one he was asked specifically to not help on.

“Oy, Bunny! How come you get to do the work?” He asked, swirling around in his chair. “Why don’t I ever get to do any of the work?”

Pushing his glasses up his nose, Barnaby kept his eyes on the computer screen. “Probably because they know that I would do a better job at this type of work than you would.”

“Tsch! What’s that supposed to mean?” Kotetsu grumbled, planting his feet on the ground to stop spinning. He was about to open his mouth and give Barnaby a piece of his mind when his phone began to vibrate.

Barnaby let out a soft sigh. “I suppose that’s Ms. Lyle?”

“I’m not sure,” Kotetsu said, picking up his phone off the desk and looking at it.

“Who else would it be?”

Unlocking his phone, he saw the text he had been waiting for all week long, his heart rate picking up. The message was short and sweet, and it told him everything he wanted to know. Quickly replying that he would be at the end of her block in about a half hour, he locked his phone and stood up. He opened his desk drawer, and pulled out his keys. “Gotta go, Bunny-chan. See you later?”

“I suppose so,” Barnaby nodded. “Tell Ms. Lyle I said hello. Perhaps the three of us can get brunch tomorrow?” Finally turning his head away from his work, he saw that Kotetsu was already walking towards the elevator.

“Maybe! I’ll ask her and see if that’s what she wants to do!” Kotetsu said, stepping into the elevator. “I’ll send you a text!” Before the door closed, he gave his partner a wave and pressed the button for the lobby.

The elevator began its fast ascent, as Kotetsu rested against the back wall. He looked around, remembering the time he and Karina had had some fun in there, his pants becoming uncomfortably tight at the memory. He was grateful that he was going to be able to see her soon, and very excited to finally feel her back in his arms. The elevator dinged, signalling he was at his destination of the lobby. Jumping out, he almost ran smack into the man responsible for fixing his suit.

“Sorry, Saito-san!! I didn’t see you there!” He dashed off, not bothering to listen to the whispered reply from the scientist as he headed towards the stairs, leading down to the garage beneath the skyscraper.

He raced home quickly, wanting to take a quick shower before he went to go and pick up his lover, and wanted to make sure his house wasn’t a wreck. When he walked in, he saw that there were dishes everywhere, thanks to his laziness during the week. Grumbling, he quickly grabbed them all off the coffee table and walked over to his sink. Dropping them all down with ease, he rolled up his sleeves and began washing them thoroughly, placing them meticulously on the dryer rack. Looking up, he saw that he only had about ten minutes until the designated time to pick up his lover. Wiping his hands off, he texted her that he was running late. Once he got a reply back from her, saying it was okay, he raced up the stairs to his bedroom.

“Ack!!” He shook his head, his bedroom in a far worse state than the living room had been. Grabbing all of his clothes that were scattered around his bed, he put them into the hamper. Going to the linen closet, he grabbed fresh sheets and made sure to dispose of the soiled ones in the hamper in the bathroom. Finally happy with how his bedroom looked, he stripped out of his clothes, remembering to put them in the hamper, and then headed into the bathroom.

Fiddling with her hair, Karina sat in the living room, trying to remain somewhat calm. She looked through her bag, making sure she had all the necessary items for the evening, moving around restlessly. She had stayed in her school outfit, as she didn’t want to raise her parents suspicions, but had packed a nice outfit for whatever they were going to go out and do in the evening.

“What time is your friend coming to pick you up?” Karina’s mom asked, not really looking at her daughter as she spoke.

Karina looked at her phone’s clock. “In about five minutes. I think I may just go wait outside for them, if that’s okay?”

“That’s fine,” Karina’s father replied. “Just give us a call in the morning, if you need for us to come and pick you up.”

Standing up from the couch, Karina picked up her overnight bag and her purse. “I’m sure they’ll bring me home, Otou-san. But, if they don’t, I will give you a call.” She walked over to her dad, and gave him a quick kiss on his cheek. She did the same for her mother, then walked out of the house. Pulling her cellphone out, she sent a text to Jane, telling her to make sure if her parents call, that she knew the drill. _“I know, I know. Go have fun banging your boyfriend. :p BE SAFE!”_ Karina laughed as she put her phone back in her purse, and made her way down the street, waiting at the designated spot.

She didn’t have to wait too long, as Kotetsu’s SUV made its way down the street. Smiling, she tried not to hop up and down in excitement. He pulled up to where she was at, and rolled down the window. “Need a ride?” Kotetsu asked, a matching smile on his face.

“Oh, gosh, I’m so happy to see you!!” She quickly threw her purse and overnight bag in the back, before hopping in the front seat. She wrapped her arms around his neck and quickly found his lips, kissing him softly. Moving as close as she could get to him without jumping on his lap, she parted her lips and swept her tongue into his mouth, earning her a low groan from his throat.

Breaking off the kiss, Kotetsu panted softly. “Nice to see you too, Karina.” He kissed her cheek quickly, waiting for her to get her seatbelt on before starting the car. “Did you just get home from school?”

“No,” Karina said, pulling her skirt down. “I just kept my uniform on because I didn’t want to arouse any suspicions, since I’m supposed to be with my girlfriend from school.” She turned and looked at him, practically bouncing in her seat. “Kotetsu......can we drive somewhere??”

“You mean, besides back to my place?” Kotetsu asked, chuckling. “I don’t see why not? Where did you have in mind?” As they came to a stoplight, Kotetsu turned and looked at her. “It’s really nice to finally see you, Karina.” He smiled as her eyes met his.

Blushing, she kept her eyes on his. “Someplace where we can....” She felt ridiculous, and hoped that he understood her meaning without having to actually say the words out loud.

“Where we can...?” Kotetsu asked, not quite sure what she was saying. The light turned green and he suddenly figured out what she had meant. “Oh!! But we’re not that far away from my place....” He turned down a side road, making sure the neighborhood wasn’t a terrible one.

Karina’s face was a bright pink, as she looked out her own window. “I know, but I just....I...”

“It has been a rather long week, hasn’t it?” Kotetsu remarked, pulling his car into a shopping center garage. He took the car all the way to the bottom floor of the car park, where there were absolutely no cars parked, the level above having only a few, and the level above where most of the traffic kept to. He parked in the middle, not bothering to park in the corner as it wouldn’t have made any difference. Turning the car off, he looked over at Karina, reaching out to pull her close to him. “Good thing you kept this outfit on....”

Giggling, she quickly shimmied out of her panties as he pushed the car seat all the way back. “You might say that I planned to do that..” She reached over, and quickly unbuttoned his slacks. “We must get you into less fancy clothes...”

“You know...” Kotetsu lifted himself up, helping her pull his pants down just far enough for things to be visible. She straddled his lap, her warmth immediately connecting with his stiffness. “Nngh....someone’s ready for me...”Kotetsu’s concentration went out the window as he moved his hips, trying to find the right angle to slip into her soft folds.

Karina wrapped her arms around his neck, and did the job for him, moaning softly as he entered her slowly. “Better.....not be drunk...... _oji-san_....” She pressed her face against his neck, inhaling his freshly clean scent as her ass became flush with the top of his thighs.

“Oh....I’m not...” Kotetsu moaned low, happy to be back in this position. Knowing they probably didn’t have a lot of time before someone began to pay attention to security cameras, he spoke softly in her ear, “Get ready, _Hime_....”

She arched up into his chest, pushing his tie to the side, as it kept getting caught between her bosom. She moaned loud as he began to buck his hips upwards, just the feel of him back inside of her was enough to send her into her first orgasm, her cries muffled against his neck as she kept her face pressed there. She began to bounce faster on his lap, making him push deeper into her with each bounce. Kotetsu’s arms wrapped tightly around her frame, trying to not hit his knees on the steering wheel as he held onto her tight. She rocked her hips faster, clinging to his body as she felt her second orgasm fast approaching, and without realizing what she was doing, she bit down on his lower neck, moaning loud. Kotetsu groaned as he felt her mouth on his neck, sending him over the edge at the same her climax was happening. With one final thrust up, he stilled his hips, panting as his lover slowly came back down with him.

“Karina....your teeth....?” He groaned, tilting his head to the side.

Squeaking, she quickly let go of his neck, licking at the bite marks that were beginning to form. “I’m so sorry, Kotetsu!! I didn’t know I was doing that!” She moaned softly as her hips moved, her lover still inside of her body. “Mm....thank you for this...” She kissed his lips softly, as they worked as a team to disentangle themselves from each other. Grabbing her panties, she quickly slipped them back on, thankful that she had decided against wearing a thong to school.

“Oh, it’s not a problem.” Kotetsu said, pulling his pants back up. “But I think we should probably head back to my place now, if that’s okay? I’m sure Agnes would just have a field day if we were caught by some mall security cop.”

Karina nodded her head, buckling herself back in. Looking up, she saw that the windows had completely fogged up. Touching the moisture with her finger, she wiped a line, and laughed. “Whoops. Sorry.”

“Don’t be,” Kotetsu started the car, the condensation from their activity dissipating quickly. He leaned over and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. “Let’s get back to my place, then we can talk about what you’d like to do this evening.”

“You mean, besides just staying by your side? I’m more than happy doing just you, Kotetsu.” She grinned as the car veered off course for a moment, before Kotetsu corrected himself. She laughed as she shook her head. “Oh, come on. That could not have surprised you _that_ much.”

Pulling out of the garage, Kotetsu grumbled under his breath. “What was that? I can’t hear you,” Karina teased him playfully. “Aw, don’t be a sourpuss. You know I was just teasing you.”

“Sourpuss?” Kotetsu turned into traffic. “No sourpuss here, Hime. Just an old man, excited to spend the evening with his girlfriend.”

_Girlfriend_. Her heart beat faster at the term, happy to hear him call her that. “I’m glad, Kotetsu, because I’ve definitely been looking forward to seeing you all week.”

The rest of the car ride passed in comfortable silence, as Karina just kept her eyes on the surroundings of the city. When they pulled up to Kotetsu’s house, she unbuckled her seatbelt and reached back to grab her bag, but saw that Kotetsu had already grabbed it for her. Taking her purse, she got out of the car, with the help of Kotetsu.

“So, did you really want to just spend the night in?” Kotetsu asked, keeping his hand on hers as they walked up to the front door. “I thought I’d take you out to a nice dinner, perhaps on that boat that cruises around the harbor?”

As he opened the door for her, she walked in and placed her purse near the door. “Really?” She squealed as his arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her against his chest. “Kotetsu!!”

“Sorry, Karina...” He rested his head against her shoulder, holding her close to him. “I just wanted to give you a proper hug.”

Turning around, she wrapped her arms around him, and hugged him back. “Don’t be sorry for hugging me.” She kissed him softly. “I just wasn’t expecting it.”

“So, may I take you out on a proper date? Did you bring something nice to go out in? If you didn’t, it isn’t a problem. We can take you clothes shopping, my treat.” Kotetsu pulled back from the hug, touching the side of her face.

Her blush returned, as she turned her face towards his touch. “You don’t have to take me shopping, Kotetsu. I did prepare and packed a few different outfits.” She kissed his palm, batting her eyelashes up at him. “But do we have to go right now...? I was kind of hoping to have a proper...um....”

Kotetsu dropped her overnight bag on the ground and quickly picked her up in his arms, ignoring the squeals of protest from her mouth. “We most definitely do not have to go right now. I think what you’re looking for may just be up here, hmm...?” He walked up the stairs, glad that he hadn’t closed his bedroom door before leaving. Entering the room, he set her down on the bed gently, smiling as he looked down at her. “This better?”

“Much...” She nodded, pulling him down to lay with her. “Now, then....” She began to untie his tie, pulling it off of his neck. Smirking, she tucked it underneath the pillow, keeping it close by. She saw her lover shiver, producing the right reaction from him. Moving her fingers swiftly, she unbuttoned his shirt and pushed it off of him. She felt his hands wander to the back of her skirt, and was pleased that he unzipped it with ease, pulling it down her legs, taking her panties with it. Giggling, she shook her head. “No fair, Kotetsu. I’ve got more clothing to work with than you do.”

Kotetsu bent down and kissed her hip. “Oh, I can make it easier for you, love.” He undid his pants and took everything off. “Now I’m the only one naked. So, now what?” He smirked, sitting back down on the bed between her legs. “Hmmm....?” He reached up and began to unbutton her blouse, pushing it off of her shoulders, revealing a lace bra. “Very nice....Do your teachers know you wear such pretty things under these garments?” His hand brushed against her right breast, her body arching up into his touch.

“No.....it’s against school rules...” She moaned softly, as his fingers slipped under the top of her bra, his nimble fingers brushing against her nipple coyly. “Aah....just take it off and quit torturing me!” She wiggled beneath him, his fingers staying put.

Chuckling softly, he reached behind her back and unhooked it for her, allowing her to pop out of her bra completely. He pulled the straps down her arms and tossed it to the side, pleased to see his lover completely naked, for him, in his bed. “Much better, neh?”

“Just shut up and kiss me,” Karina begged him playfully, pulling him towards her. He fell on top of her, caressing her lips with his own. They moaned softly, the sounds of their kissing filling the quietness of the room, as their bodies pressed against one another.

He pulled back from the kiss, and settled between her legs, pressing his arousal back against her moist folds. She lifted her hips up, wrapping her legs around his waist to push him into her body, but Kotetsu kept his hips back, wanting to just tease her with the tip, loving how provocative she looked in this position. Unable to withstand the teasing, he pushed his hips forward, burying himself back into her body.

“Yes!!” Karina cried out, as she gripped the bed sheets, happy to have him back where she had wanted him. She looked up at him, and saw he was looking down at her. “Kotetsu...”

Their eyes stayed locked as they rocked back and forth, moving together at a slow pace, as there was no hurry this time. As she began to feel more, Karina closed her eyes and tossed her head back, moaning loud with each thrust of Kotetsu’s hips. He leaned down, and pressed his lips against neck, moaning softly after each thrust.

“K-Kotetsu....” She cried out, her body shaking as her climax overtook her senses. He moaned her name softly as he fell moments after hers.

The two lay panting, Kotetsu now being the one to press his face against her neck. She smiled as she felt the stubble of his goatee against her neck. She let go of the bed sheet and wrapped her arms around his body, blissfully content.

“Karina.....I love you...” Kotetsu nuzzled the side of her neck, before gently slipping out of her. He reached over and grabbed his towel from his shower earlier, and began cleaning up Karina was a gentle touch.

Trying not to squirm too much, Karina smiled as she watched him. “I love you, Kotetsu.” He began to clean himself up, so she averted his eyes to give him peace. “When did you feel like going out for dinner?”

“How about after a quick nap? This old man has got to recharge after that.” Kotetsu grinned, flopping back down on the bed. He wrapped his arms around her, hugging her comfortably.

“Sounds like a good idea,” Karina said, kissing the planes of his chest. “Sweet dreams, Kotetsu.” She closed her eyes, and listened to her lover’s heartbeat. She wasn’t expecting a reply, as she could hear him snoring already, a small smile appearing on her face. _Here’s hoping we don’t sleep for too long._ She snuggled closer to his warm body, and soon was drifting off to sleep.

…

* * *

**A/N:** Up next, a dinner date! And, I do not condone having sex in a parking lot like they did, but it sure is a yummy idea, isn’t it? ;) Thanks for reading!! 


	21. Chapter 21

A warm body was pressed against Kotetsu’s chest, the soft curves a welcome feeling in his arms. Blinking a few times, he looked down at his chest and saw the small frame of his girlfriend nestled in his arms. Holding her closer, he was happy to have her back where he had wanted her all week long. He had plans for the weekend, and had no intention of letting her go back home tomorrow. To make up for the lack of contact all week, he wanted to spend as much time in this bedroom with her as possible. He began to grow aroused at the thought, unable to stop himself. Karina grumbled softly in her sleep and turned over, her back now resting comfortably against his chest, increasing the swelling of his growing.... _problem_.

He glanced over at the clock and saw that they had only been asleep for a little over an hour, but it felt a lot longer than that. He felt completely recharged and ready to go out for the evening. He bit back a low groan as Karina began to wiggle her hips against him, pressing his semi-erect arousal against the soft cleft of her ass.

“Mmm....Kotetsu...?” She stretched her body against his, her words tumbling softly from her lips. He held onto her tight, enjoying how she felt against him in this particular position. “Did we sleep too long...?”

Resting his chin against her shoulder, he nuzzled the side of her neck. “We only slept for an hour, Karina-chan.” Moving his hips forward, he felt her arch back towards him. Growling playfully, he felt himself slip between her cheeks, teasing her gently. He heard her moan softly as she pushed back against him, driving him wild. “Karina...” He squeezed her around the middle tightly, keeping his hips still.

“Is this bad?” She let out a soft, breathless moan. “I mean, I don’t think I could....but it sort of feels kinda nice...”

Kotetsu caressed the side of her neck with velvety kisses. “I would never subject you to doing something you don’t want.” Rolling his hips slowly, he pressed more against her cleft, all too excited by how he could feel her body responding. Releasing his embrace, he moved his right hand up her body, cupping her left breast gently. “A little _teasing_ never really hurt anyone...” His nimble fingers brushed the tip of her pert nipple, smiling softly as he watched the areola constrict.

“Kotetsu...” She arched her chest, pushing against his hand. He cupped her more, gently rubbing his goatee against her lower neck. “P-Please...” She whined softly as he rubbed himself against her cleft more.

Reaching down with his left hand, he pushed against her folds and found her to be dripping wet. He twisted the fingers that were on her nipple, attacking her clavicle with gentle nips. “Is what I’m doing to you turning you on, Hime...?” The pad of his middle finger rubbed against the top of her mound, her body instantly responding by trembling uncontrollably. He kept moving his middle finger in a gentle circular motion, listening to every moan of Karina’s.

She lifted up her left leg and placed it on his hip, opening herself up to him. Taking the invitation, he moved his finger that had been touching her with a tender caress, and quickly slipped into her womanhood, both releasing a soft moan at the subtle penetration. He pushed his finger deeper into her body, and adjusted the placement of his hand, wanting to continue touching the top of her mound, as he knew that’s where her pleasure center was. Rubbing his thumb, he made contact with it almost immediately, as he felt her inner walls begin to tighten around his finger.

“Oh, please don’t stop,” Karina’s breathing became hitched, as she tried to lift her leg higher up his thigh. He thought briefly how wonderful it would be if he had a third hand, as he didn’t want to stop touching her breast, nor did he want to stop being inside of her warmth, but wanted to make her more comfortable. Feeling his own arousal beginning to slip towards her warm center, he gently pulled out his finger out, chuckling softly at her quiet protesting.

“I’m not going to stop,” Kotetsu hinted softly, his lips moving against the shell of her ear. The hand he pulled away from her core went immediately to her raised leg, and held it up higher on his hip. Once it was in the place he wanted it to be, he twisted her nipple roughly as he pushed inside of her, Karina’s body arching up off the bed. As he slipped further into her center, he kept his hips still, allowing her to control the movements of their bodies.

Her hair spilled over her shoulder, covering the breast his hand was supporting, as she rolled her hips backwards. “S-So....wonderful....this...way....” She moaned with a breathless pant.

“Touch yourself,” Kotetsu encouraged her. “I don’t have a hand free to touch that nerve center of yours, and....I want you to feel as good as you can...” He bit down gently on her earlobe, earning a soft cry from her lips as he sucked gently on her earlobe.

Taking his cue, he focused on her hand moving to be between her legs. He groaned low in his throat as her fingers touched his slick cock, as it was moving in and out of her body. The hint of her curious touch was making him want to slip further out of her, but then couldn’t stand not being wrapped tightly around her warm heat. He pushed back into her hard, as her fingers sought the place where she.....”Ahh!!” She cried out as her fingers made contact with the area they had been searching for.

He gripped her leg with a lenient firmness, thrusting himself deeper into her core as he watched her fingers dance upon her body. Kissing the base of her neck, his chin pressed into her shoulder, soft groans being muffled by her neck as he kept his eyes on her hand. Her body was rocking erratically against his, but he met her with each rock. He felt her begin to tighten around him, making his body respond in kind. He dragged his thumb nail across her nipple, pushing her over the edge as her body finally reached its peak, her high pitched moans sending him flying over with her.

Gradually, he lowered her leg from where it rested, slipping out of her naturally. Quick to grab the towel they had used earlier, he placed a clean corner against her center, not wanting her to suffer too much. She eased her knees apart, allowing him to slip the towel further up. “Arigatou, Karina-chan.” He kissed her hip bone, carefully wiping away any evidence of their tryst.

“No, thank you,” Karina panted softly. “You...you’re always so considerate after.” He looked up, and saw that her eyes were closed. “I always thought that boys...”

Kotetsu pulled the towel away from her, once he was satisfied that she was clean enough, and began to wipe himself off. Chuckling softly, he shook his head. “Ah, Karina. But I’m not a boy.” He tossed the towel down on the floor, and hugged her close to his body. “Last time I checked, I’m a _man_.” He nuzzled the side of her neck, pleased to hear her giggling uncontrollably.

“Stop! You know what I mean!” Her laughter penetrated his heart, making it beat fast once more. “Stop smothering me, oji-san!”

Groaning, he shook his head. “You know, I would really love it if you called me something else.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “Did you want to still go out on our date? Or would you rather I call in and order some food?”

“Hmm....” Karina laid on her back, as he sat up on the bed. “Well, you said you wanted to go on a dinner cruise, yes?” Kotetsu nodded his head in agreement. “Do I need to dress fancy?”

He shrugged his shoulders. “You can. You don’t have to. Did you not pack a dress?”

“Oh, I did. I packed a lot of things for just one night.” Karina stretched her arms over her head, arching gracefully. Kotetsu observed how her supple body moved as she continued to tease him visually. She batted her eyelashes at him. “See something you like, handsome?”

Kotetsu nodded his head slowly. “You know that I do.” He let his hand glide across the side of her body, barely letting his fingers touch her radiant skin. “We _could_ just order delivery, and we don’t have to put any clothes on for the rest of the night.”

“No clothes?” Karina sat up on the bed, hugging her knees to her chest. She rested her head on her knees, looking at him with an adorable grin on her face. “Now, why would I say yes to that, when you could take me out on a nice date?”

Knowing he was never going to win, Kotetsu laughed and shook his head. “I know, Karina-chan. I want to take you out too. It was just a silly suggestion. Can I help it if I’ve missed you? It’s been a very long week, Hime.” He kissed her softly, overcome with her adorableness.

“I know,” Karina gave him a small smile, her cheek resting against her knee. “Let’s just go out and be like a normal couple tonight. Is that okay?”

He stood up from the bed, pulling his boxer briefs back onto his body. “Of course we can. Did you want to have a quick shower before we head out?”

“No, I think I’m okay.” She stood up from the bed, stretching again. “Mmm....what do you think? Should I take a shower?”

Walking over to her, he pressed his face against her neck, inhaling deeply. He tried not to laugh as he listened to her squeal, enjoying the sounds of her laughter as he continued to sniff her neck. “I think you smell divine, Karina-chan.” He stepped back, rubbing his hand over his chin. “Do I need to shower?”

“I don’t know, let’s see.” She pressed her nose against his lower neck, Kotetsu groaning low as the soft billows of her breath hit his neck. She kept inhaling and exhaling, her warm breath hitting the back of his neck in the most pleasant manner.

He stood perfectly still, refusing to wrap his arms around her, aching to feel her close against his body. “Well?” His voice came out in a low groan, incapable of keeping his libido in check as her warm breaths came in faster bursts, the swell of her breasts just barely brushing against his own chest.

“You smell so good, Kotetsu.” Her lips connected with the base of his neck, forcing him to lean his head backwards, welcoming more of her touch. “Are you wearing cologne?”

Resisting no more, he wrapped his arms around her petite body, pulling her close to him as her lips kept kissing his lower neck. “I am. Do you like how it smells? I....I put some on this morning for you.”

“Only for me?” Her soft auburn eyes looked up at him, a small smile on her face. “Really?”

Kotetsu nodded. “Of course, Karina-chan. Who else do I make myself look good for? Surely you don’t think I do this for that evil woman, do you?”

“No!” Karina laughed, shaking her head rapidly. “Of course not! I just, I didn’t know that you cared that much about how you smelled.”

He held her close, swaying slightly. “I care because I had hoped you would like it. You make it so that I want to be a better man for you, Karina. I hope you know that.”

“I.....” She kissed his cheek. “Thank you. I do like the way you smell. But, I always have.”

Groaning low, he tilted his head down, kissing her softly. “If you keep saying these wonderful things to me, we will end up ordering food and have it delivered here.” 

“No!” Karina pulled away from him, giggling as she tried to wiggle out of his hold. “Kotetsu!” She collapsed on the floor, in a fit of giggles, Kotetsu falling down with her.

Laughing, he let go of her, rolling onto his back. “Why did you just fall? It wasn’t like I was holding you that tightly. Silly Karina-chan.” He grinned, the sounds of her laughter warming his heart tremendously. “Come on. Let’s get dressed. No more funny business.”

“You promise?” She batted her eyelashes coyly at him.

He closed his eyes, and placed his right hand over his heart. “I promise, Blue Rose, that I will not touch you. For now, that is.” He saw her looking down at him, and felt his heart stop as she leaned down, kissing him softly. “What was that for?”

“For being so nice.” Karina stood up, grabbing her panties from the pile on the floor and pulled them back onto her body. “Now, may I use the bathroom to change? I’d like to surprise you, if that’s alright with you.”

Jumping up quickly, Kotetsu nodded. “Sure, Karina. Go right ahead. Let me grab my suit, and I’ll just dress downstairs, okay?” He walked over to his closet, pulling the door open. “Now, should I wear green or....”

“Wear a light green shirt!” Karina responded, rummaging through her overnight bag.

He moved some shirts aside, pulling out a pale green shirt. “Is this what you want?” He asked, having only worn the shirt one time, usually sticking to his dark green attire. “Vest okay?”

“Perfect!” She nodded her head. “Now, shoo! Let me get ready for you!”

“Alright, alright!” Kotetsu chuckled, grabbing his nice loafers off the floor of his closet. “I’ll make us a quick drink before we head out?”

“Are you calling a cab, then?” Karina asked, her eyebrow raised up. “Because I don’t think we should drive drunk.”

A smile appeared on Kotetsu’s face. “Karina, I do not want to be in bad shape this evening. This will be my only drink of the night. Does that make you feel better?”

“It does.” She shooed her hands at him a second time, forcing him out of the bedroom, both of his hands full.

After he got dressed downstairs, he prepared two simple cocktails for the two of them. Never really having anything except for beer, he was pleased to find that he still had some champagne in his fridge unopened. Looking around, he grabbed a spoon, hoping that it would keep the carbonation while they were out for the evening. But, if it didn’t, he didn’t mind wasting it on his girlfriend, as he knew she liked the effervescent liquid. He could hear her singing upstairs, the dulcet tones making him feel calm as he finished preparing a glass for her. With a change of heart, he grabbed some of the orange juice and poured that into his glass, wanting to show her that he appreciated her concern. He set them on the table, and began to tie the thin black tie he had grabbed, making sure his knot was perfect before buttoning his vest over it.

“Did you make a drink for us?” Karina’s voice sounded from the stairway, as she began walking down to the first floor. He looked over at her and lost his ability to speak, as his breath was stolen by the beauty she displayed.

A simple black dress was all she adorned, but it was both cute and respectful at the same time. Her heels were a light shade of pink, matching the shade of lipstick she had put on. Her hair was up in a simple bun, with strands all over the place, giving her an air of indifference yet had purpose. He could feel his hands digging into the bun, yanking off the tie, groaning low as her hair cascaded down his hands and onto her -

“Kotetsu?” She stood in front of him, waving her hand in his face. “Did you fall asleep with your eyes open??”

“Huh?” He ran a hand through his hair, smiling. “Oh, no. I didn’t. I was just admiring your beauty, Hime.” He kissed her cheek, his chin rubbing along the side of her cheek affectionately. “And yes, I did make a drink for you.” He reached down and grabbed the filled flute, handing it to her before picking his own up. “See? I’m just drinking juice. So, you don’t have to worry.”

Their glasses clinked together, both taking a sip together. “I never worry when I’m with you,” Karina took a few more sips before setting the glass back down. “Are you ready to go?”

“I am. Did you bring a coat? I don’t want you getting cold outside.” He grabbed his own coat from near the door, and slipped it on.

She held up a black cardigan. “I have this. If it gets to be too cold, I just may have to borrow your jacket.” She giggled. “And besides, you should know that the cold doesn’t bother me.” She winked as she walked out of the opened front door.

“Hah!” Kotetsu chuckled, shaking his head. “Of course it wouldn’t. That was silly of me, Blue Rose.” Making sure the door was locked, he walked over to the car quickly, opening the passenger door for her. “In you go, my lady.”

Karina sat down in the car, buckling in. “Thank you.” He made sure she was secure in her seat before closing the door for her, and went over to his side of the car. He checked all of his mirrors, before pulling out into the street, and began to drive towards the harbor.

They arrived without any incident, the city having been relatively quiet all week. Kotetsu had been wondering why it was so quiet, but was afraid to voice it, not wanting to jinx them. He decided to park the car valet, knowing that he could have parked the car himself, but wanted to treat his lover to a nice evening. When the valet opened the door, she stepped out, looking like a million dollars, the power of her smile making the valet stumble on his own feet. Kotetsu grinned and got out of the car, leaving the keys in the ignition.

“What time does the boat come back?” He asked, taking his ticket.

“Three hours, sir. We won’t leave until everyone has made it safely off.” The valet hopped in the car and drove off, leaving the two of them at the foot of the bridge that led up to the dinner cruise.

“Do you have a reservation?” The woman asked politely, as Kotetsu took Karina’s hand in his own.

“We do. Under the name Kaburagi,” Kotetsu’s head felt naked, without the hat he always wore. But knowing they were going to a nice dinner, he didn’t feel the need to put it on. He felt Karina give his hand a reassuring squeeze, and looked down at her. “For two.”

The hostess nodded, and checked off his name. “If you would follow Tara, please?” She beckoned one of the women that was standing to the side. She handed her two menus. “The ship will be leaving port in about fifteen minutes. Cocktails will be served, then the meals will be served about a half hour after you leave port.”

“Wonderful.” Karina spoke quietly. “Thank you for your help.”

“Enjoy your dinner date with your daughter.” The hostess said, as they began to follow Tara onto the boat.

Kotetsu looked over at Karina, and saw that her shoulders had instantly sagged, her demeanor no longer as commanding as it had been before. Stopping on the bridge, Kotetsu held her in place. “Karina, look at me.” He didn’t care if they were holding up the line to get in, he could tell that his lover was uncomfortable. He waited patiently for her to look up at him, the tears visible in her eyes. “Listen to me, do _not_ let anyone destroy your confidence. Who gives a crap what that woman thinks? We’ve been over this before. The only two people that matter are you and me. And you know how I feel about you?”

“I.....” Karina’s voice wavered. “Kotetsu, it isn’t that easy for me.”

He kept his voice low, so none of the onlookers could hear their exchange. “I know, sweetheart. I know it isn’t. Would you rather we just go home?”

“No!” She shook her head. “No, please. I’ll be okay. It’s just an instant reaction for me. I don’t like them assuming you’re my father, when I definitely don’t feel that way about you.”

Kissing her cheek, he took her hand. “Come on. Let’s get inside. If, at any time, you feel like leaving, all you need to do is say the word. I’ve got my domino mask in my pocket, and I’ve got no problem activating my power to take us away from here.”

“Arigatou.” A small smile lit her face up, Kotetsu’s nerves easing a little bit. He looked back and saw the hostess had been watching them, and her eyes quickly averted to somewhere else. _Coward_. He stood straight and walked onto the ship, holding on to Karina’s arm as she stepped down onto the landing first.

They were whisked away to the dining area, where they were given a table that was right next to the window, offering them a stunning view of Sternbild. A waiter brought over a bottle of complimentary champagne, and set two glasses down.

“May I just have some Pepsi Nex Zero?” Kotetsu asked, watching as the waiter poured one glass.

“Of course, sir. Be right back with that.” They both watched the waiter walk away.

“Kotetsu....” Karina raised her glass up. The waiter quickly brought over a glass of Pepsi over to their table, and walked away. He lifted up his glass and clinked it against hers.

“To us.” He smiled, taking a sip of his Pepsi as she repeated the words before taking her own sip. “Karina, I know that you said it’s difficult, but remember, there is no one in this world that I would rather have sitting across from me right now.”

“Not even your wife?” Karina asked, looking at the simple band that he still wore on his hand.

Taking a deep breath, Kotetsu met his lover’s eyes. “Karina-chan, Tomoe was a wonderful woman. She gave me something that I’m proud to have, and she showed me just what love is supposed to feel like. Do I wish she was here instead of you? Of course not. Because she moved on from this world, and I made my peace with that a long time ago.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean anything bad by that,” Karina reached over and touched his hand. “That was selfish of me to ask that. I don’t mean any disrespect towards her, at all.”

He rubbed his thumb across the back of her hand. “I know that. And it’s taken me a very long time for me to be where I’m at now. But this? What you and I are experiencing together? It’s wonderful. I had no idea how exciting things could be with you, I had honestly never entertained the thought before our night out of drinking. But now? Now, you’re all I think about. All I care about.”

“Really?” Her eyes rested on their joined hands.

Their waiter came back over with a small menu. “Please forgive my interruption. This is our hors d'oeuvres menu. The ship will be moving in a few moments, so if you’d like to make your selection, I’ll make sure it’s brought over with haste.” The waiter turned and walked away.

“With haste? Who talks like that?” Kotetsu asked, chuckling.

“Apparently, he does.” She laughed with him, leaning over to look at the menu. “Oooh, all of these sound delicious.”

“Pick whatever you’d like.” He kissed her cheek, happy to just have her near him.

Karina gave a small nod of her head. “But this stuff isn’t cheap.”

“Karina, let me take you out on a proper date. Money isn’t a concern tonight. Besides, I hardly ever spend it. Why not enjoy life a little tonight?” He motioned for the waiter, who returned quickly. “We’ll take an order of bruschetta, a full order of oysters, and another Pepsi, please.”

The waiter left with the small menu, and soon, the ship began to slowly move away from the harbor. Kotetsu looked over at his lover, and saw that her eyes were on the skyline. “You are simply breathtaking, Karina.” He spoke the words as he thought them, his filter stripped away by her.

“I....I don’t know what to say to that.” Karina turned, a bright smile on her face.

“Just say thank you.” He sipped some of his Pepsi as she drank the last of her champagne. He reached over and poured some more for her, glad to see that she was back to her normal self.

“Well, thank you, then.” She giggled, accepting the glass he offered her.

They sat in silence as they watched the harbor move farther and farther away, just enjoying the view. “Karina,” Kotetsu’s voice broke the stillness. “Does it bother you that I still wear my wedding ring?”

“No, of course not. Please, I shouldn’t have said what I did before. I honestly meant nothing by it. I’m just....I’m a girl.” She turned and gave him her full attention. “I can’t help the way my mind thinks sometimes.”

The oysters and bruschetta arrived before Kotetsu could respond to her. As they began to put some items on their small plates, their waiter returned to their table. “This evening, rather than a traditional dinner, we’d like to give you the option of our buffet, which has many items to choose from.”

“A buffet!” Karina smiled, nodding her head. “I’d love to do that!”

Kotetsu grinned, giving a nod of his head. “Then that settles it. We’ll both do that.”

“Very well. The buffet will be starting in twenty minutes time. Please, enjoy your hor d'oeuvres. Is there anything else that you require right now?”

Looking over at the near empty bottle of champagne, Kotetsu said, “Some more champagne, please. And two glasses of water?”

“Understood.” The waiter left them alone once more.

Karina picked up an oyster and looked at it with a quizzical look on her face. “How am I supposed to eat this?”

“It’s simple.” Kotetsu took the small fork that came with the plate, and very gently dislodged the oyster from its shell. “I tend to put a little bit of lemon, with a touch of tabasco on it, and then you just....” He slurped it up off the shelf, swallowing it down. “Eat it like that!”

She laughed gaily, shaking her head. “You have got to be kidding. That is so unladylike!”

“I don’t mind, Hime.” He handed her the fork, watching as she did what he had shown her. He kept his laughter at bay as he watched her face contort as she swallowed, but then a smile grew on her face. “Not too bad, huh?”

“It tastes like the ocean!”

Kotetsu burst out laughing. “I guess you would be right. I never thought of it that way before.” He picked up another, and slurped it down. He could hear a string quartet begin to play, and noticed that there were people moving on the dance floor. “Karina, would you like to dance with me?”

“Now?” Karina’s cheeks turned a light pink.

He stood up from the table, holding his arm out towards her. “Yes, right now. He said the buffet wouldn’t be open for at least twenty minutes, so we’ve got some time to kill. Unless you don’t want to be seen on my arm?” He pressed the back of his hand against his forehead. “Oh, Hime. You wound me.”

“Oh, knock it off, you clown.” Karina stood up, giggling. “You know that isn’t what I meant.” She took his arm gracefully. “Thank you.”

They walked over to the laminated dance floor, stepping onto it together. The small string quartet began to play a slow song, allowing Kotetsu to wrap his arm around his lover’s waist, pulling her close to him. They began to move, swaying in a small circle, the nearness of Karina making his heart beat faster. He smiled as she placed her head against his chest, a soft sigh falling from her mouth.

“Is everything alright?” He held her closer, looking down at the top of her head.

“Everything is perfect.” She looked up at him, smiling. He leaned down, their lips barely touching, when a hand was suddenly on his back.

“Fancy seeing you two here!”

Kotetsu pulled away from Karina, and saw the girl’s face light up at the two people who were standing next to them. “What are you guys doing here?”

“We’re out, having a nice dinner.” Ivan stood there, dressed in a nice suit, while Keith stood behind him, also dressed in a nice suit. “Are you guys dining by the windows? I thought I saw you, but Keith said that I was probably seeing things.”

Karina looked up at Kotetsu, smiling. “Do you think we could all sit together?”

“I don’t see why not.” Kotetsu kissed her cheek. “Did you want to finish our dance, or just head back to our table?” He looked at Keith and Ivan. “We have some appetizers, if you’d like to join us?”

The older man shook his head. “No, no. We’ll let you enjoy your date, so we can enjoy ours. But, perhaps, we’ll bump into each other on the dance floor?” Keith bowed at the waist.

“Without a doubt,” Karina giggled. “See you two in a bit, then.” She took Kotetsu’s hand, and began leading him back to the table, as he was still trying to process what was happening. “Did you plan that?” Karina asked, letting go of his hand only to allow him to sit down, then found it again beneath the table.

He shook his head. “No, I had no idea they would be here.” He sipped some of his Pepsi with his free hand.

“I’m glad that they didn’t want to sit with us,” Karina whispered dramatically, picking up a piece of bruschetta.

“You are??” Kotetsu was surprised to hear this. He thought she wanted them to sit with the two of them, thus spoiling their nice date.

Giggling, she nodded her head. “I was just being polite. However, knowing that they’re nearby? I suddenly have no cares in the world, and don’t care if people see just how much I love you.” She leaned over and kissed him softly, Kotetsu groaning low as her body moved closer to him.

“Karina-chan...” Kotetsu pulled back, smiling softly. “You don’t know how happy you’ve made me.”

“Yeah, yeah. Come on, let’s enjoy this night, shall we?” She raised up her champagne flute. “To us!” This time, her voice rang out loudly, her smile brighter than ever.

Lifting up his Pepsi, he toasted with her. “To us.”

...

* * *

**A/N:** Mmm...fluff makes me smile. :) The date is not quite over yet. Up next, the rest of dinner, and then some. :D Thanks for reading!


	22. Chapter 22

Karina attempted to balance a large plate of food, while the ship swayed a little. Trying to make sure no food committed Hari-Kiri, she tried not to giggle at the silly image now running through her mind. She smiled as she felt Kotetsu’s hand on her elbow.

“And what’s so funny?” Kotetsu kept his hold on her elbow, as his plate was nowhere near as full as hers was, and didn’t let go until she had set her plate down on the table.

Plopping down in her chair somewhat gracefully, Karina burst out laughing. “It’s ridiculous, and now you’re just making me laugh even more because of how absurd it is.”

“Now you _have_ to tell me, Karina-chan.” Kotetsu grinned, picking up his napkin from the table, situating it on his lap.

She waited until her giggles died down before speaking. “Well, I was just picturing my caprese tomatoes jumping off of my plate, sacrificing their lives to defend my honor.”

“You do have an active imagination.” Kotetsu laughed, shaking his head. 

Blushing, she giggled softly. “I can’t help it. It’s just what runs through my-” She stopped talking when a loud noise sounded through the dining area, and then, complete darkness. The only source of light was from the buildings along the shoreline, and even those were disappearing behind a dense fog quickly. 

Karina went into high alert, and saw her lover doing the same. _So much for a nice evening._ Squinting her eyes, she could see two blobs making their way over to where the two of them were. Any trace of the champagne she had had was gone the moment she activated her Hero powers, sobering her up instantly. She looked over at Kotetsu and saw that his domino mask was already firmly in place.

“Karina, stay here.” Kotetsu got up from his seat, actively scanning the area. He waited until the two blobs appeared next to their table. “Keith, Ivan - keep her safe. I’m going to go check things out.”

Before she could protest to her lover, she watched him walk in the shadows, keeping himself completely hidden. “Do either of you know what’s going on?” Karina whispered, hearing more screams and shouts through the boat. Her armband began flashing ‘CALL’. “Shit. I’ll be under the table.” She met Ivan’s eyes, and saw him nod his head, while holding up the white linen table cloth. She slipped down and sat cross-legged, thankful no one could see her. Pressing the button, she answered her phone and saw Agnes.

“There you are!” The producer of Hero TV practically screamed. Panicking, Karina shushed her and held up her finger to her mouth, using the universal sign to be quiet. “Karina.....Are you...”

Nodding her head, she could hear more gunshots. “If you want to know where I am, I’m on a dinner cruise. I guess something is happening? Kotetsu went to go and check it out, as he’s better prepared to jump into something like this than I am.” 

“Something is happening, yes. On the ship you’re on. Is there anyone else there that I should know about?” Agnes began giving instructions to the crew members. “Kotetsu needs his suit. You need your things.”

“Um, Keith and Ivan are here too.” She bit her lip, afraid of seeing the producer’s face. “Is this person a NEXT? It was a clear night, and as soon as whatever happened on the ship, it became extremely foggy, very fast.”

She didn’t disappoint, as her face turned red. “Wonderful. You all stay put, and stay out of harm’s way. I’m still trying to get the details, but yes, it sounds like a NEXT is upset with the police, and is now taking hostages. Which would explain the sudden fog, as they don’t want to be found quickly.”

“Hostages?!” Karina squeaked, covering her mouth as she realized how loud she had spoken. “What do you mean, hostages?”

The tablecloth lifted up, sending Karina’s heart into overdrive. She saw the black and white domino mask of her lover’s, and let out the breath she had just been holding. “Kotetsu is here with me,” she remarked, turning her arm, so that Kotetsu could see Agnes.

“Don’t be foolish or stupid,” Agnes crossed her arms over her chest. “I’ve got Barnaby and Rock Bison coming to you guys. Sneak away to the stern of the ship in about five minutes time. Saito-san will be meeting you there with your suits. I’ll have him bring both Origami Cyclone’s and Sky High’s as well. I repeat, do NOT do anything until you have your suits.”

Kotetsu ran a hand through his hair. “Ah....well....”

“What did you do?” Karina looked at her lover, and noticed that he had a fat lip.

“Nothing!” Kotetsu shook his head. “I just had a little bit of an altercation with someone who thought they would be the hero. He’s been apprehended.”

The producer of Hero TV groaned. “Okay, fine. As long as you don’t destroy anything, and you make sure to keep everyone safe? Then it doesn’t matter. I won’t contact you again, until I know you have your suits.” Agnes signed off, the screen disappearing without a trace.

Another loud shriek sounded through the cabin, as more gunshots were fired. Karina looked at her lover’s face, and saw his eyes were set, still bright amber. “Don’t use your power until you absolutely need to,” Karina whispered. “I don’t want anything happening to you.”

“Karina-chan, I’m sorry our nice date has turned into this.” Kotetsu gave her a soft kiss, making her heart melt and her stomach do a tiny flip-flop. “Are you ready to go to the stern of the ship?”

Panting softly, she gave a nod of her head. She slipped out from under the table, and saw that both Keith and Ivan were actively searching the room, trying to get as many people out of the main dining area, and into the area that they were in. Karina tried to call out to them, but saw Ivan give her a shake of his head, cutting her off instantly. She hoped that they had gotten the message from Agnes, and would be joining them shortly. Taking Kotetsu’s offered hand, she felt herself moving fast. Almost too fast.

As they made it outside, the dense fog that had appeared was still there, and becoming even thicker. Karina slid on her foot, almost toppling over backwards. She let go of Kotetsu’s hand, trying to compensate for her clumsiness, and soon landed on her buttt. “Ouch,” she muttered, trying to stand back up. But there was too much condensation from the fog, and she kept slipping back to her knees. _Where the hell is Kotetsu??_ She hadn’t seen or heard her lover, and was surprised that he wasn’t asking where she was. As she began to speak, a cloth was placed over her nose, forcing her to breathe in the fumes. The last thing she heard before her eyes closed involuntarily was a deep baritone voice speaking into her ear.

“Night night.”

...

“Ojii-san. Ojii-san! KOTETSU, WAKE UP!”

Groaning, the older Hero sat up and touched the back of his head. “Bunny-chan? Is that you?” He looked around, trying to find the sound of his partner’s voice. “Bunny, what’s going on? I can’t see anything.” And it was the truth. The last thing he remembered, he was going towards the stern, holding....”Karina!!!” He stood up quickly, frantically looking around. “Where is she?? She was here with me!”

“We’re looking for her.” Antonio appeared beside him, the drills on his shoulders barely visible because of the dense fog. “It seems as if the ones that were responsible for taking over the ship took about 5 hostages.”

Kotetsu’s heart stopped. “What? No, that can’t be. She was here with me. We were going to meet you two. We were-”

“Kaburagi-san,” Saito appeared out of thin air, speaking quietly. “Please, don’t panic. We’re working on trying to find out where they took them. They couldn’t have gone far. Not in this mess.”

He swayed on his feet, the back of his head still throbbing. “Guh, my suit. Where’s my suit?”

“Don’t activate until we know where they are,” Barnaby warned, closing his face shield. Kotetsu felt his heart stop again as he heard the same words that had left his lover’s mouth before they had made their way to the back of the ship. He stood still as he watched Barnaby move swiftly. “I’m going to go and find Origami Cyclone and Sky High.” The pink suited Hero dashed off back towards the dining cabin.

Saito took Kotetsu’s arm and led him towards where the ship they had arrived in was anchored. Antonio had darted off with Barnaby, leaving the older man with his suit’s creator. He jumped down onto the small boat, and followed the short man to below the deck, where it seemed it would be putting on his own Hero suit. Muttering to himself, he replayed the moments from when they had run outside, to where he was now. And he still couldn’t pinpoint just what had happened, except for the excruciating pain in the back of his skull. He slipped his helmet on, and heard the quiet man screaming in his ears.

“IT APPEARS YOU WERE KNOCKED UNCONSCIOUS BY SOMEONE.”

Groaning, Kotetsu put the rest of his suit on. “Yeah, that would explain why my head hurts so bad. Do we know who these guys are? Besides being able to control weather patterns?”

“YOU ARE CORRECT. THE FOG IS FROM THEM, AND THEY KEEP INCREASING THE BAROMETRIC PRESSURE. THE MAN SAYS HE HAS NO NAME, AND THAT HE ONLY WANTS WHAT BELONGS TO HIM.”

He was used to the constant screaming, and didn’t have the heart to tell the shorter gentleman that he didn’t need to scream. “That’s great, but why was Karina taken? No one should know she’s a NEXT. I put on my domino mask, as I always keep it on me.”

“We’re still trying to figure that out. There may be no reason why she was taken. Perhaps it was just the luck of the draw.” Agnes’ voice came through his headset, thankfully nowhere near at the same decibel as the scientist. “Kotetsu, do you remember anything? We think that these people are on another boat now, but we can’t be too sure.”

Closing his face shield, Kotetsu began to climb back up the ladder. “I remember heading to the back of the boat, like you told us to, and then blackness. When I woke up,” he bit his lower lip, trying to keep his head on straight as he processed what had happened, “When I woke up, I was alone. And Bunny was yelling at me. I guess between the time we had gone into the fog, we were separated, and then this happened.”

“Does anyone know who the two of you were?” Agnes asked, talking to one of the other producers in the room with her. “You two are always careful, aren’t you?”

“Of course we are!” Kotetsu grumbled, stepping out onto the small deck. He bent his knees, and jumped the short distance between Saito’s boat, and the ship they had been enjoying their nice evening on. “Agnes, you gotta tell me when you find that boat. I can’t let them do anything to her.”

“What about the other hostages?”

“You know what I mean,” Kotetsu shook his head as he headed back towards the dining area. “The sooner this is over, and the sooner I get to see her again, the happier I will be. And the happier everyone will be, because they don’t want to see me mad.”

“Why not, ojii-san?” Barnaby appeared on his left side, startling him.

“Eeah...You need to wear a bell, Bunny-chan.” He looked around the room with his enhanced vision, thanks to the power of his helmet, and could see that most of the passengers had made it off the boat safely. “Is it just us?”

“It is.” Keith appeared on his right flank. “What do you think we should do, Wild Tiger?”

“Why don’t we....” Kotetsu honestly didn’t know what to do. Any help he was hoping to get, it would have been from the person that was missing from his side. _Karina, I swear to you, I won’t let you get hurt. I should have been paying more attention. Please...please be alright_.

Barnaby coughed into his hand. “Why not use Sky High’s NEXT power to help us get rid of the fog? At least, in the immediate area. Unless these people used a speedboat, it’s more likely than not they’ll still be in this vicinity.”

“I can do that!” Keith nodded his head. “I can do that! I’ll go make a large circle, hopefully getting rid of some of this cloud cover.” He took off into the air, beginning to spin fast.

Not bothering to stay outside, Kotetsu began to walk towards the bow of the ship. “What were you two doing here?” Barnaby asked, as they walked at a fast pace. It seemed that Keith’s trick was working, as the fog began to lift around the areas he was flying.

“We were on a date.” Kotetsu sighed, keeping his face shield down. He could feel the angsty look coming off of his partner without having to see his face. “You know that I didn’t see her all this week. I wanted tonight to be special. And now? Now, it’s worse than I could have imagined.”

The blonde laid on a hand on his bulky shoulder. “I wouldn’t worry about Ms. Lyle. You know that she’s tough. I’m sure that she’s trying to take control of the situation herself right now.”

“Don’t say that!” Kotetsu turned and faced his partner. “I don’t want to think that she’s hurt!”

Barnaby shook his head. “Is this how you react when I’m in danger? Do you have no trust in your partners? Be them sexual or work related? Because she was doing just fine as a NEXT before you two got together.”

“Yeah, except when she used her cutie escape.”

Kotetsu stopped talking, as what he had just said suddenly made him stop. “Her cutie escape!! Maybe she made it away and we’re searching in the wrong place!”

“I ALREADY THOUGHT OF THAT.” Saito came blaring through both of their headsets. “SHE DID NOT ESCAPE. AT LEAST, NOT THAT I CAN SEE. I TRIED TO LOCATE HER WITH HER HERO WRISTBAND, BUT NO LUCK SO FAR.”

Groaning, Kotetsu shook his head. “What did Agnes tell us? If we were to ever be caught, the first thing to dispose of would be that bracelet. If it fell into the wrong hands, who knows what could happen? I’m sure she was smart enough to take it off. You’re the only person that everyone know is a Hero.”

“Thank you for remembering at least one thing I’ve said to you before,” Agnes’ voice came through. “It looks like the area is starting to clear up, from the view we’ve got from our chopper.”

Barnaby looked out over the bow. “I think I see a boat moving towards the shoreline.”

“I’m on it!” Keith said, flying towards the boat.

“Be careful!” Agnes warned. “If he confirms that that’s what we’re looking for, I want you to wait until we’ve got someone on your boat, so they can film what happens.”

The older Hero almost lost it. “No, we’re going with or without a camera.” He looked at his partner, who he could see was watching for Sky High’s signal. There was a small reflective flash, and that was enough for them. “We’re going.”

“Hold on to me,” Barnaby said, grabbing Kotetsu’s hand. “My power still lasts longer than yours.” Kotetsu heard Barnaby’s suit activate with his NEXT power, and soon they were dashing across the water at a fast speed.

Keeping happy thoughts in his mind, Kotetsu prayed that nothing had been done to any of the hostages, and that the person who was trying to prove something had been apprehended. The words that Barnaby had said struck a chord within him. _Do I really not trust them to get the job done? It’s different with her. I love her. I don’t want anything bad to happen to her. If something happens, I’m directly responsible for it, because I failed. I was taken by surprise and she was taken from me. I don’t ever want something like this to happen again._ They touched down on the boat silently, thanks to a gadget Saito had put into their suits, making their otherwise loud, clunky suits to be barely noticeable. Kotetsu looked over and saw that Sky High was there, as was the cameraman that Agnes somehow managed to get on the boat with them.

“Don’t go charging in,” Barnaby spoke quietly. “I’ve activated my powers. Let me take care of them.”

Kotetsu balled his hands into fists. “Make sure no one gets hurt.” He relented in giving the others the chance to rescue everyone. He didn’t care. He just wanted her to be safe. Only cared for her well being.

He hung back, waiting for the signal from Barnaby. He could hear the Hero TV announcer going on about what was happening, but he paid no attention. He kept his focus on the five people he could see huddled together, his heart beating faster as he saw her. Karina appeared to be passed out, slumped over one of the other women.

“You won’t stop me!” Someone shouted from inside.

Not thinking, Kotetsu activated his NEXT power, his eyes glowing blue. Charging in, he knocked over the poorly dressed NEXT, who was trying to summon more fog to the area. He pressed the man into the floor, thankful that he had done no permanent damage to anything. “It looks like you would be wrong,” Kotetsu flipped the man over, trying to secure the man’s wrists with his makeshift handcuffs.

He was about to make another comment when he heard a thud behind him. Twisting his neck, he saw that Antonio had apprehended another man, who had been right behind Kotetsu. “I told you, Ojii-san, to wait for me.” Barnaby flipped his face shield up, glaring at him with piercing blue eyes. “When will you listen!”

“Where are the police?” Kotetsu asked. He heard a loud thud from outside, and saw one of Sternbild’s finest standing at the door with his weapon drawn. “Ah, there you are.”

Climbing off the man, the older man watched as both men were dragged away by the cops. “You won’t see the last of us! Remember our name! _Niebla de la Razón!_ ” The two shouted their name together as they disappeared onto the police vessel. Kotetsu looked up at the cameraman, and saw that he had shut off his camera as soon as the action was over, and was heading back outside.

Kotetsu made his way over to where the hostages were all waking up from whatever had happened to them. Keith, Antonio, Barnaby and Ivan all helped them up, and began to take them to the Coast Guard ship that had been called by the police. Taking off his helmet, making sure his domino mask was still securely on his face, he saw that Karina was slowly waking up. She met his eyes, and burst into tears.

“Oh, Karina-chan,” Kotetsu reached out to her, and soon held her body as close to him as he could, except for the pesky Hero suit in the way. “Karina, are you hurt? They didn’t hurt you, did they? I’m so sorry....I’m so, so sorry...”

Sniffling, she shook her head. “Don’t be sorry. I’m just glad you’re here. I don’t know what happened. I just...can we please get your suit off? I don’t want to feel the cold metal. I want to feel you.” She looked up at him, her eyes still full of unshed tears.

“You got it.” His eyes had returned to their natural amber, as he picked her up in his arms, holding her like the princess she was, and walked outside. He saw the boat that Saito was using anchored next to the boat they were on. He looked over and saw that both Keith and Ivan were speaking together. “Oy, see you later?”

Keith extended his index and middle finger to give Kotetsu a salute. “Good job on apprehending the suspect.”

“Well, one of them.” Kotetsu muttered, stepping onto the boat carefully. “Thanks for your help tonight. I’d hate to think what would have happened had there not been -”

The smaller blonde spoke quietly. “Kotetsu-san, there is no reason to think that way. What happened, happened.” Ivan gave a small bow.

“He’s got a point,” Barnaby said, dressed only in his black spandex suit. Kotetsu shot him a look and headed down below, anxious to take off his Hero suit.

He set Karina down on the small seat that was there, watching her very carefully. “Do you feel okay? Do you want to go to the doctor? Do you want Saito-san to look you over, just to be safe?”

“Just get out of your suit, please,” Karina said weakly. “I could really use a hug from you right now.”

Hearing her plea loud and clear, he stood in his makeshift chamber, and felt the suit come off of his body. Saito began to speak, but he quickly held up his hand to stop the chatter. “Not right now, Saito-san.” He walked out and over to his lover, sinking to his knees. He gripped her tightly around the waist and pressed his face against her chest. “I’m so sorry....” He whispered softly.

“Don’t be.” She clung tightly to him, sniffling. “It’s not your fault. If it’s anyone’s fault, it’s mine. I shouldn’t have worn these shoes. I slipped and fell, and that’s when they got me.”

His grip around her waist tightened, as he hugged her close. “Please, let Saito take a look at you. I’m sure it was nothing, but I just want to make sure. Saito-san, you’ve got equipment on this boat to do that, don’t you?”

The quiet scientist walked over to them and gave a small nod of his head. Speaking barely above a whisper, he said “I do. It won’t be as thorough as it would back at headquarters. Ms. Lyle, we’re not that far away from shore. Would you mind if we just made sure you were okay back at Apollon?”

“That’s fine,” she exhaled, resting her head against Kotetsu’s shoulder. She still felt off, and just wanted to never let go of her lover. “Please, hurry. I’d just like to go back home.”

Looking up, Kotetsu kissed her pale cheek with tender care. “Of course, Hime. We’ll get you back home. Your parents are still out of town, yes?”

“I meant home with you,” Karina spoke softly. “Please?”

Barnaby coughed into his hand. “Ms. Lyle, if it would make you feel more comfortable, we can have someone escort you back to the office?”

“No, thank you.” She looked over at him, giving him a small smile. “I’m just fine where I’m at. I just want to be done with this night.” Laying her head back on Kotetsu’s shoulder, she closed her eyes and sighed quietly.

He rubbed his chin against her cheek. “We’ll get you cleared and ready to go before you know it. Just rest, Karina.” Her soft snores flitting into his ear canal made him smile. “She’s asleep.” He looked up at his partner. “Do we have someplace we can let her lay down?”

“We just made it to the dock,” Barnaby looked out. “Want me to help you carry her?”

“I got it.” Kotetsu lifted her up into his arms, and headed to the top, and stepped off the boat and onto the dock. Looking down at her, he watched as she buried her head against his chest. He headed to the van Saito normally drove when they were landlocked. “Are you coming back with us, Bunny-chan?” He noticed his partner was still standing by the boat.

Barnaby shook his head. “No, but I’ll call you later to see how she’s feeling. Did you find her wristband?” He pointed to her naked wrist.

Glancing down, he saw her purse was still in her hands, genuinely surprised to see it there. He opened it carefully, not wanting to jostle her too much, and saw that the wristband was tucked inside a small pocket that anyone could have missed, if they didn’t know what they were looking for. “She’s got it.”

“Keep me posted,” Barnaby gave a small wave as the van door closed, leaving him alone with his sleeping princess. He hoped that they would find nothing wrong with her, and would be back at his condo before too long.

...

* * *

**A/N:** Up next, a quick check up and then, back to Kotetsu’s place. Maybe. ;) Thanks for reading! :D 


	23. Chapter 23

Sighing softly, Karina looked up at the quiet scientist. “Do I really have to go through another test?”

“She’s tired, Saito-san. Please, let me just take her home. She’s fine, isn’t she?” Kotetsu ran a hand through his hair nervously, hoping that she was okay. They had been in the scientists’ lab for over an hour, but he kept telling the both of them it was just a necessary precaution. He stayed against the wall, where he had been leaning for the duration of their visit, not wanting to crowd his lover.

His lips began moving, but Kotetsu had no idea what he was saying. He looked at his lover and saw that her face was set in stone, but it appeared that she was able to hear just what the man was saying to her. She gave a simple nod of her head and stood up. “Arigatou, Saito-san. I appreciate you helping me out this evening.” Karina bowed her head and grabbed her purse. “Kotetsu? You ready to go?”

He pushed himself off the wall. “Of course, Karina-chan.” He took her hand, and gave a firm nod towards the scientist, thankful for his expertise. As they walked out of the lab, he could see Agnes lying in wait for the two of them. “Just a head’s up, seems like someone has been waiting for us.”

“Oh?” Karina asked, looking around. “What do you mean?”

“Did everything go okay?” Agnes made her presence known, stepping out of the shadows. “Karina, do you need anything?”

“What she needs is to be left alone for a few hours. I’ll be taking care of her. If anything comes up, then just telephone me. Don’t bother her, got it?” Kotetsu growled at her, shielding his lover away from the producer.

Agnes rolled her eyes. “You know that she’s just as capable of speaking for herself. Why don’t you let her speak?”

“I.....I just want to go.” Karina spoke quietly. “If something comes up, then you can call me.” Kotetsu began to protest, but stopped when she held up her hand. “No, it’s fine. I can handle it. Besides, I didn’t get hurt. Nothing bad happened. You heard him. I’m fine. Now, it’s okay.” She took her lover’s hand and headed towards the elevator.

Kotetsu was grateful that the nosey woman had kept her distance, and didn’t really say anything as he got into the elevator with her, once it had arrived. He pushed the button for the garage, then hit his head with his hand. “Tssch. I forgot that my car is still down at the docks!” He quickly hit the button for the lobby, not wanting to have to ride the elevator back up to the proper level.

“We can take a cab back,” Karina said, standing as close to him as possible. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze and nodded his head. “I’m sure the car will be fine. And if it’s not, then I’m sure Agnes won’t mind getting it out of impound for you.” She giggled softly, a small smile appearing on her face.

He felt his heart beat a little faster, happy to see a look other than a somber one on his lover’s face. “Of course, Karina-chan. I am sure that it will be fine as well.” The elevator opened on their floor, revealing a darkened lobby, as it was well after the time when normal business occurred. He held the front door open for her, and swiftly took her hand.

“Kotetsu....” She kept her head down.

Taking off his coat, he placed it over her shoulders. “We’ll be home soon, Karina. Then you can sleep, and know that everything will be okay.” He hailed a cab, one appearing almost immediately at the curb. “How’s that for service?” He opened the door, watching as she got in carefully. He slipped in after her, and gave the cab driver his address, then reached for her hand once more.

He needed the constant contact. After being separated from her before, his guilty conscience was weighing on him heavily. He couldn’t stop the voices in his head, all of them were screaming at him for making a mistake. How she should never have been taken from his side in the first place. As if he didn’t already know that. Kotetsu felt her shift in his arms, and soon found her sitting on his lap, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck. Holding her tightly, he stayed quiet, instead focusing on listening to her soft breaths, happy to have her so close to him.

The car rolled to a stop in front of his house in record time. Kotetsu reached into his pants pocket and pulled out some money, handing it to the driver with a nice tip, his only way of saying thanks. Making sure that Karina was secure in his arms, he opened the cab door, and carried her out. Shutting the door with his foot, he made his way up to his apartment, her soft breaths caressing the side of his neck as she still hugged his neck tightly. Balancing her on his knee, he placed the key into the lock, and pushed the door open.

“Want me to set you down?” He spoke quietly, closing the door the same way he did the cab door.

She clung tighter to his neck. “No, please.” Karina whispered. “I don’t ever want you to let me go again.”

“Karina....” It broke his heart more to hear that request, knowing that if only he hadn’t let go of her hand, she wouldn’t be in this position. He hugged her tightly to him, and began the short journey up the stairs to his bedroom. His lips grazed against her cheek with a soft kiss, keeping it short and sweet. He paused at his bedroom door, then turn a turn to the left.

Lifting her head, she looked up at him. “Kotetsu? Aren’t we going to lay down?”

“No, I’ve got a better idea, Hime.” He walked with her to the bathroom, flipping on the switch with one hand. “How does a bath sound?”

“Perfect.”

“I have to set you down, okay?” Kotetsu sat her down on the toilet seat, after closing the lid. He rolled up his sleeves and turned the water on. Twisting around, he reached under his bathroom sink for a pink plastic bottle.

“Is that what I think it is?” Karina asked, giggling softly. “Kotetsu, I had no idea.”

“I’ll have you know, this is only here for one reason.” He poured some of the pink liquid into the tub, marveling at how fast the bubbles began appearing. “I’m sure you can guess why I would have something like Mr. Bubbles bath soap.”

“So, that’s why your skin is so soft.” Karina burst out laughing as she stood up, setting his jacket down before pulling her dress off of her body. She walked over to the bath, and gently eased herself into the tub. Kotetsu’s face became bright red at the backhanded compliment his lover had just given him, but took it kindly.

“Yeah, yeah. That’s exactly the reason why.” He rolled his eyes playfully. “Okay, how’s the water?” He sat down on the vacated throne, and watched as Karina sank lower into the tub.

She glanced up at him. “Why are you sitting over there?”

“I thought you would probably want to bathe alone...” He ran his hand through his hair, that nervous energy returning. “I mean, I don’t plan on leaving you, but I didn’t think you’d want me in there with you.”

Sitting up, she held her hand up, extending her index finger. She began to wiggle it back and forth, calling him over to the tub. He got down on his knees, and perched on the side. “What are you doing? “ She hugged her knees to her chest. “I thought that was pretty clear, what I’d like for you to be doing right now.”

“Oh!” Kotetsu nodded, and stood up quickly. He began to strip out of his clothes and got into the tub behind her, making sure his legs were tucked on either side of her curvaceous body. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her towards his body, Karina moving willingly. “This better, Karina-chan?”

She rested her head against his chest and gave a small nod of his head. “Much better.” Placing her hands over his, she exhaled softly. “Why haven’t you asked me about what happened?”

“I have been in a hostage situation before,” Kotetsu spoke quietly. “The difference between yours and mine was that I was able to use my natural abilities, thanks to the Hero that was there to help all of us. He told me to use my power to help him out, and I did just that, and helped a bunch of citizens because of it.” He leaned his head back against the tiled wall, holding her closer to him. “But, it doesn’t mean that I didn’t feel the same sort of terror you must have felt.”

“I felt helpless,” Karina sat up and turned to face him. “You’ve really been a hostage before?”

Kotetsu nodded, sitting up as well. He sat cross-legged in the bath, allowing for her to move and sit on his lap, facing him. Staring into her auburn eyes, he put his arms around her waist. “And I was much younger than you are. I was 9, maybe 10? I don’t remember. Sure, I wasn’t tied up, but it’s still scary. Karina, you were very brave tonight. I hope you know that.” He pulled one of his arms back, gently stroking her cheek with his left hand.

“I didn’t feel like I was.” Tears began to fall from her eyes, her voice hitching. Kotetsu pulled her closer to his body, hugging her tightly to him. “Everything....Everything I’ve been taught, I couldn’t use. They kept saying they would start killing us to show that they were serious about their threats.”

Not letting her go, Kotetsu kept his voice soft. “What were they trying to get?”

“That’s just it. All they wanted was vindication. They kept talking about how some corporation took their idea and stole it from them, but the corporation had no idea they were NEXT. Once that happened, they got upset, and we just happened to be on the wrong dinner cruise.” She clung to him tightly, her reply broken up by staccato sobs.

Kotetsu placed his palm on the back of her head, and just held her close to him. “Sshhhh....It’s all over now, Karina-chan. I promise, I’m never going to let you out of my sight. I will keep you safe. This will pass. You’ll see. You’re safe now, and nothing is going to happen to you for the rest of the weekend, okay? We can stay here, order food in all weekend.”

“But...I’m supposed to go back home tomorrow.” She sniffed, no more sobs leaving her body.

Groaning, Kotetsu shook his head. “Do you really have to go back home? Can’t you just stay here? I’d feel better knowing you were close by.” Recognizing he was whining, he changed tactics. “But, no pressure, Hime. If you really must return home, I will understand. Just expect to have your phone nearby at all times.” He nuzzled the side of her neck, rubbing his chin along her clavicle, the soft scrapes of his beard making the petite woman in his arms shiver. “Are you cold...?”

“No...” Karina shook her head. “But...can I think about staying here again tomorrow night? Or, really, tonight?” She giggled nervously.

He could take that for an answer. “Of course, Karina-chan.” He placed a soft kiss against her neck, feeling her pulse begin to quicken underneath his lips. She shifted on his lap, the small movement creating a rather troublesome problem. “Maybe we should get out of the bath...” His voice was a little strained, using every bit of energy he had to try and not make his erection obvious.

“What? Why?” Karina rocked her hips slowly, her pelvis pushing against his own. He bit his lower lip and leaned his head back, hoping that she was doing this on purpose, acting innocent for his benefit. He squeezed her tightly, helpless as she rocked her hips again, this time pushing right against his arousal.

“K-Karina...” He moaned low, his body aching to be close to her folds, which was so _close_ , but was still inches away from him.

“Kotetsu....please....make me fly....?” She lifted herself up off of his lap, and slowly slipped down onto his arousal, crying out softly as she sank down.

Relaxing the grip he had on her body, he rested against the linoleum, moaning low as he felt her hips rock slowly. Taking matters into his own hand, he began to move her on him, groaning as she began to squeeze tightly around him. He could feel her tightening more as he rocked her faster on his lap, and soon felt her clench tightly around him, that flight she so timidly asked for happening almost as soon as their love-making had begun. Kotetsu bit his lip, keeping his own release at bay, nowhere near done with making his lover feel good.

“Hold on to me.” His lips brushed her earlobe as he placed his forearms underneath her backside, enjoying her soft pants against his ear. Once he felt her holding on as tight as she could, he stood up, not caring if water was splashing everywhere. Some had already slopped over at her erratic movements, but it didn’t matter. The only thing that mattered was that she was still securely in his arms, and he was still deep inside of her. Debating what he should do, he knew there was plenty of time for more traditional sex later. Right now, he needed to _feel_ her. He kept his arms directly underneath her, and placed her against the bathroom wall. Her legs immediately locked around his middle, and began to push down on him, making him go deeper inside of her. “Karina...”

This time, there was no slowness. Her loud screams, the feel of her nails digging into his back made him slam hard into her. She responded with loud shouts of approval, making him moan low at the intensity of how fast he was moving. He wanted to make sure she flew again. He adjusted his position, and soon was drawing high pitched moans from her mouth.

“T-There!!” She cried out, rocking her body fast against his. “Kotetsu, please....!!”

Never one to shy away from any request, he kept his body in that position, pressing against her clit with each thrust of hips. His moans became as loud as hers, echoing off the walls as they moved at his frantic pace. Kotetsu felt her inner walls begin to clamp down hard on him as she began to come, and was soon pushing deeper into that vice grip. He moaned her name as he began to release in her, pressing his face against her neck as her body naturally milked him, his orgasm making him go temporarily blind.

Panting hard, he kept his face against her neck, attempting to regain his breath. He heard her begin to laugh, her laughter forcing him out of her body. Groaning, he pulled his hips away, panting a bit slower. “Just what....is so...funny....?”

“You’re standing in a bubble bath, and you just.....we just....” Karina couldn’t stop the giggles from continuing, laughter now replacing the sex noises the both of them had just been making.

Kotetsu shook his head. “How about we move to the bedroom?” He reached down and unplugged the drain, the bubbles that were making his lover laugh were soon disappearing.

“Okay,” Karina nodded, stepping out of the tub first. “Towel?”

“Eh,” Kotetsu grabbed her quickly, holding her sideways in his arms, grabbing a large towel from the rack. “Why bother? If you’re worried about getting the sheets damp, don’t be. Because, really, what you should be worried about is how much sleep you’re going to be getting tonight.”

A light blush appeared on her cheeks, making her skin glow beautifully. “Sleep? What’s that?” A small smirk appeared on her face as he set the towel he had taken down onto the bed. He set her down on it, the object of perfection as he began to dry her body off with the towel. “Kotetsu...I can do that...”

“I know.” He started at her feet, and slowly made his way up her legs, making sure each area was dry before moving on to the next. He began to dry her thighs, rubbing the soft material carefully over her flesh. Moving up a little higher, he placed the towel between the apex of her thighs. He looked up and saw her lips parted, her eyes hazy as she met his gaze. “Does this feel nice?” He moved the soft fabric against her folds, keeping his eyes on her auburn irises.

Karina moved her legs a little, spreading a little bit more for him. “Yes,” she answered breathlessly. “It feels...really nice....”

“Karina...” Knowing that she may push him away, he decided to move slow. He moved the towel across her folds more, opening her up for him to see. He broke off their eye contact as he looked down, a low groan leaving his mouth. “Amazing...” He moved the cloth away and blew cool air against her folds, and heard her moan softly.

“Aah...” Karina’s head soon made contact with the pillow that happened to be behind her head, as her knees stayed bent, keeping herself open to him. “D-Do that again...?”

“Do what...?” Kotetsu teased. He placed both of his hands on her upper thighs, his fingers keeping her spread open for him. “This..?” He blew cool breath once more against her exposed womanhood, and smiled, watching her body’s reaction to the air.

Her soft moans were enough for him. He stuck his tongue out and licked the top of her mound, the tip of his tongue instantly making contact with her swollen clit. “K-Ko.....” She didn’t finish his name as a soft moan came instead, the more his tongue lapped against her prized center.

As he was going in for another look, he felt the bed shift and soon, felt her tongue licking the tip of his own arousal. “Nngh...Karina...I’m....” He didn’t want to say that he was dirty, as he didn’t feel like he was. But he knew that the last time they had done this, it had been a warm up to sex, not another way to make their bodies feel good.

“I don’t care.” Karina’s mouth reattached itself to the tip of his arousal, the delicate sweeps of her tongue against his opening was making him grow harder. He heard her moan appreciatively, having absolutely no way to stop himself from keeping his arousal in check.

Her mouth slipped down further on him as he went back to his original spot, happy to be licking her soft folds from this new angle. Spreading her apart a little, he dipped his tongue into her insides, and moaned softly as he could taste a little bit of himself still lingering there, only making his arousal fill with more blood. Karina’s head began to bob as she moved her lips up and down his length, the wet heat of her mouth nowhere near the same as the spot his tongue was now occupying. But it didn’t matter to him. All that mattered was that they were doing this together, and that they were both receiving what they both wanted. He began to flick his tongue across the top of her mound, feeling her hips rock against his lips. He kept his body still, not wanting to make her choke if she wasn’t ready for it, and instead, moved with her movements. He could feel himself coming close to his release, but again, he wanted to take care of his lover first. Her mouth stopped moving around him, making him aware that she was concentrating on what he was doing to her. Moaning low, he fluttered his tongue against her mound, the pressure almost instantly returning to his own arousal. She pushed against his mouth more, her hips rocking fast. Spreading her apart, he slipped one of his fingers into her and sped up his fluttering, the muted high pitched moans of his lover egging him on. He could feel her sucking harder on him, groaning low himself as he licked her more. He moved his finger in and out of her, mimicking what they had just done in the bathroom, and soon felt her begin to climax. He locked his lips against the top of her mound, and proceeded to latch onto her clit, forcing her to experience her first true multiple orgasms, never relenting as she kept falling over and over. Her mouth was no longer wrapped around him, but he didn’t care. He loved hearing her scream his name over and over, her body spasming more. Once he had felt that she had had enough, he pulled away from her slowly, licking up all the sweet juices she had released for him.

“My.....gosh...” Karina panted, her cheeks a healthy rose color. The smile on her face was worth it to him, seeing that happy look on her face once more. “Oh!” She looked down at his arousal. “I’m sorry!”

Chuckling, he shook his head. “Don’t be. I had a feeling that was going to happen when I did that to you.” Picking up the towel, he wiped off his face and chin, making sure anything that had been left behind was now gone. He moved to lay next to her, happy when she moved to rest her head against his chest. “How do you feel now?”

“Like I’m floating,” Karina giggled breathlessly. “I....I’ve never felt anything that incredible before...”

He kissed the top of her head, hugging her close to him. “Well, I think you have, but not quite like that. And I promise, I can continue to make you feel that way. I can do it whenever you want.”

“Even if we’re in a meeting?” She lifted her head and looked up at him, a twinkle in her eye.

“ _Especially_ if we’re in a meeting.” He wiggled his eyebrows, grinning at her reaction.

Laughing, Karina shook her head. “Would...would you like for me to finish you off...?”

“Hime, I’m okay.” He gave her a soft smile. “Don’t worry about me. Maybe in a little bit, if you feel like it?” He saw her nod her head slowly, and chuckled as she yawned. “Get some rest, my sweet princess.”

She gave a small nod of her head. “You sure you don’t mind...?”

“Why on earth would I mind?” He reached down and pulled the blanket over the two of them. “Is the towel bothering you?”

Karina shook her head. “Nope, not at all.” She kissed his chest with a few gentle kisses. “I love you, Kotetsu. Thank you for being my personal Hero tonight.”

“I will always be your Hero, Karina. Until you get tired of me, I am yours. Body, mind and soul.” He gave her a gentle hug, hoping his words didn’t scare her. But, it sounded like she had not heard them, as a soft snore was her reply. Chuckling, he shook his head. “Perhaps I’ll have to tell you another time, then.”

He hugged her close to his body, content on knowing that she was going to be going nowhere. Still, he stayed awake until the wee hours of the morning, when he could no longer fight off his exhaustion any longer. He fell into a pleasant slumber, holding Karina to his body for the duration of the night.

...

* * *

 

**A/N:** I would wager that he’ll find his release soon enough. ;) Thanks for reading! 


	24. Chapter 24

The sounds of birds chirping and warbling made the teen wake up from a deep slumber, a soft yawn escaping past her lips. She rolled over, wanting to be close to her lover’s body, but found a cool pillow and empty space instead. Not thinking anything of it, she allowed herself to drift back to sleep, hoping that when she would awaken, he would be back by her side.

Blinking her eyes a few times, she turned and saw the glowing red lights of the digital clock and felt her heart speed up. She never was one to sleep past 8 in the morning, and according to the look she was looking at, it was almost a quarter past eleven in the morning. Karina was about to sit up, but felt a warm body wrap their arms around her, pulling her close.

“Shhh....It’s not a big deal,” Kotetsu mumbled in her ear, inhaling and exhaling through his nostrils. His breath sent shivers down her spine, a small smile appearing on her face. “It’s not even 9...”

She could no longer stop the giggles from erupting out of her. “Of course it isn’t, it’s almost 11:15, Kotetsu!”

The arms that were around her suddenly disappeared, as the older man sat up quickly in bed. “Shit! I didn’t think I was going to fall back asleep like that!”

“Back?” Karina turned, pulling her hair up into a makeshift bun. “What do you mean, back?” She thought for a moment. “So, you really weren’t in the bed, were you?”

She couldn’t help but smile as her lover squirmed under her gaze. “I had to go get my car. Antonio called me early this morning, offering to pick me up. I didn’t think you’d mind too much.” He ran a hand through his disheveled spikes, a weak attempt at a carefree grin on his face.

“Next time, perhaps a little bit of warning would be nice.” She laid back on the bed, stretching like a cat, her back popping as she arched up a tiny bit.

“Karina...” She heard her lover’s voice take on a different quality, a tone that had not been there before. Realizing the impromptu show she had just given him, she quickly covered her chest, hiding herself away from his affectionate gaze. “Awww....why’d you do that?”

Shaking her head, she grabbed a shirt off the floor, and slipped it over her head. It hung loosely on her body, as it was most definitely not her own clothes she had grabbed. She couldn’t remember if she had brought her bag upstairs or not, and if she did, she knew that none of her things would be laying about. Batting her eyelashes at him playfully, she hid her knees under her shirt. “Because....”

As Kotetsu was about to say something, her cell phone began to ring. She hopped off the bed and grabbed it, her eyes growing wide as she looked at the caller ID. “Karina-chan? What is it?” Kotetsu asked. She held up her hand and started shushing him rapidly, her heart pounding in her chest. Taking a moment, she waited a few more seconds before sliding her finger across the icon to answer the call.

“Mushi mushi!” She tried to sound as natural as she could, when she knew that the person on the opposite end of the line would know something was up immediately.

“Karina, sweetie, Daddy and I wanted to make sure you were okay. We saw something in the papers this morning about there being an incident out in the waters of Sternbild. You weren’t called out for it, were you?”

The sound of her mother’s concern made her face crumple, the thoughts of what she had endured last night creeping back into her mind. She could feel herself becoming faint, quickly taking a seat on the bed. “No, mommy. I wasn’t there. I know that Agnes had tried to call me, but by the time we finally got into contact with each other, it seemed the situation was handled.” “Oh, well, that’s good news, dear. That’s good news indeed. I could have sworn that one of the girls that appeared to involved in the situation looked remarkably like you.”

She felt the knots return in her stomach. “Really?” She tried not to squeak out her question, hearing her voice sound abnormally high. “T-That’s really strange! What paper are you looking at, momma-san?”

“Sternbild News.” The sound of the paper rustling came over the phone quite clearly. “That really is strange. I can’t help but feel a little....”

“Mommy, I’m fine. Really. You’re talking to me, aren’t you?” Karina tugged at her bun, her hair spilling back down onto her shoulders, offering her little comfort. She looked up and saw that Kotetsu was watching her intently, but thankfully was keeping his distance still.

“I suppose that’s true. Oh, just a minute,” her mother covered the mouthpiece of the phone. Karina took a few deep breaths inaudibly, her heart still pounding just as hard as it had been when the phone rang initially. “Your dad wants to know what time do you think you’ll be home today?”

Karina began to twirl her hair nervously with her index finger. “Oh....well, I was wondering if it would be okay to spend the night again tonight...”

Another brief pause, and then the sound of the phone being covered again. After what seemed like an eternity, her mother came back on the line. “Your father says it’s fine. Do you need a ride back home tomorrow?”

“No, I’ll get one. Thank you so much! Tell Tou-san I love him, please.” She met Kotetsu’s eyes, and felt her heart start to finally calm down by the smile he was sharing with her.

Her mother made a soft clucking sound. “I will. Have a good time with your friends, Karina-chan. Don’t grow up too fast.” Her mother hung up on the line. 

Karina made sure the call was finished before quickly pulling up Jane’s history of texts. She quickly typed out a begging message, pleading with her to agree to cover for her one more night, promising she’d explain why she needed a second night. Her friend was only too glad to help, even if she kept shouting at her in all caps about needing ‘CONDOMS’. She set her phone back on her overnight bag, and looked over at her lover, whose gaze she could feel on her the entire time she had been on the phone.

“So.....I guess I’m staying here another night?” She said coyly, lifting her right shoulder up in a half shrug. She laughed as Kotetsu grabbed her, spinning her around in a tight hug. “Kotetsu!! Stop!!” She clung to his neck, hugging him tightly.

“I can’t,” Kotetsu spoke softly in her ear. “I’m just....I’m so happy you did that.” He set her back down on the ground.

Blushing, she shook her head. “Well, don’t be too happy. I just lied to my mother about a few different things. I’m actually feeling quite guilty at the moment.” She hugged herself a little, the reality of what her mother had said to her sinking in. “Kotetsu, I’m in the-”

Her wrist began to flash, a call coming in. Knowing just who it would be, she was quick to answer it. Before she could say her greeting, Agnes laid into her. “Have you seen the papers this morning??”

“No...” She spoke timidly, not sure why the producer of HeroTV was upset with her. _It’s not like it was my fault I got stuck in that situation!_ “But I already know what’s there.”

“Is Kotetsu with you?” Agnes asked, her eyes darting back and forth on the small pop up screen.

“Hai,” Kotetsu poked his head over her shoulder. “What do you want, Dragon Lady?”

“Excuse me?!” Agnes’ jaw dropped open, while Karina tried to not laugh at the perfect term of endearment for their ‘superior’. “Why I -”

“Why are you calling, Agnes?” Karina cut her off before she insulted her boyfriend. “If it’s to be upset at me for getting caught in a hostage situation, then I may just hang up. You’re acting like this was _my_ fault.”

“I wasn’t saying that it-”

Karina shook her head. “I know I made a mistake. I know that I should have been paying closer attention. I’m sure that they’re not happy with me at Titan. I’ll do my best to offer my apologies.”

“See that you do. If anything comes up this weekend, you will be the first I call.” Agnes said. “I know that no one knows it was you, but in order to get back in the good graces of not being a complete screw up, that’s what needs to happen.”

“Oy! She’s not a screw up! You take that back!” Kotetsu was quick to jump in, shouting over Karina’s shoulder. “Don’t talk to her like that!”

“And don’t be her knight,” Agnes wore a smirk on her face. “She’s a big girl. She can take care of herself. Isn’t that right, Karina-chan?”

The color of scarlet could be seen clear as day on the teen’s cheeks. “I understand, Agnes. Thank you for letting me know ahead of time.” She tapped her wrist, ending the call.

“Why would you let her speak to you that way?” Kotets asked, clearly still upset by the nature of the call. “She has no right to say those things to you. You did the best that you could do. If anyone should be getting yelled at, or thrown to the wolves, it would be me. I’m the one that screwed up. _Me_. Not you, Karina-chan.”

She could feel the warmth in her eyes, but withheld the tears. “It’s alright. I’m used to it. She’s been picking on me a lot lately. You wouldn’t know, since you’ve only come back to our team only recently. But while you were gone, it wasn’t a picnic, to say the least.” She sat back down on the bed, sighing softly. “All I wanted was a normal weekend with my boyfriend. Is that too much to ask??” She thought out loud, not realizing she had spoken so that Kotetsu could hear her.

“Well, then. Since you’ll be spending the night again tonight, how about I do as I suggested? We order in dinner tonight, and just hang out here. That way, there’s no danger at all.” Kotetsu sat down on the bed next to her, turning to face her. “Unless you’d rather we go out?”

Thinking for a few moments, Karina’s face lit up. “Why don’t we have a few people over?”

“Like who??” The suggestion clearly threw the other man into a tizzy, the look on his perplexed face quite comical to Karina. “You don’t want to invite your girlfriend over, do you?”

She slapped his arm, laughing. “Quit being a pervert, _oji-san_.” She giggled as she watched his lips set in a grimace. “No, I didn’t mean Jane. I meant, maybe Barnaby-san, or perhaps Sky High and Ivan?”

“You can call him Ivan, but you can’t call Sky High by his name?” Kotetsu grinned, pulling Karina to sit on his lap, who went willingly. “Karina-chan, if that’s what you want, then that’s what you shall have. However, I request the evening to not go too late, as I’d like to spend more time alone with you.” He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, while pulling her up on his lap.

Karina nodded her head, smiling. “I think I can handle that. I mean, as long as you promise to be nice to me?”

“I can make no such promise.” His eyes gleamed with a hint of unspoken lust, a trait Karina was more than happy to reciprocate, albeit passively. She felt her heart begin to flutter, as her mind began to come up with idea for the two of them. Rather than play the ‘what if’ game, she decided that should the need arise, she would take matters into her own hands later in the evening.

She pretended to be hurt by his words. “Ah, Kotetsu! Really?” She placed her hand over her heart, removing it from its current resting position. “Well, then, perhaps we should just make this an overnighter with the others.” She wiggled her eyebrows in the same fashion he had done earlier, unable to keep a straight face.

“No!” Kotetsu shook his head, pulling her close to him. “No! I don’t want that. Not at all!”

Karina could not stop laughing, as she hugged him tightly. “Kotetsu, I’m kidding. Don’t worry. I don’t think we could all fit here. And besides, what if they all got frisky?! Eeeew, no!” She laughed, shaking her head rapidly, trying to catch her breath as her laughter continued.

“Hey, now....There’s nothing wrong with them being happy with each other.” Kotetsu hugged her close to him. “Fine, if you want to send both Ivan and _Keith_ a text, go ahead and do so. Just the two of them? Or were you serious about inviting Barnaby over?”

Giving a noncommittal shrug of her shoulders, she looked at her lover. “If you’d like to invite him over, I don’t mind. But, if you think it might be better to not, then that’s okay too. I was just thinking off the top of my head. It honestly doesn’t matter to me. Heck, we could just spend the entire night here by ourselves.” She felt her body grow warm at the the thought of spending the entire day with him, and no one else. Just exactly what she wanted, but was too afraid to be honest with him.

“Karina....if you’d rather it just be the two of us, then don’t be afraid to say so.” His eyes met hers, his amber eyes penetrating her thoughts with no barrier.

“I.....” The heat returned to her cheeks.

“Do you want to invite them....?” His lips began to scatter soft kisses on her neck. “Or....just spend time with your lover...? Making you remember just why you’ve fallen in love with me?”

Her breath hitched as he voiced her emotions. “I....” She kept her eyes on his, afraid to look away.

“Just say the words, Karina.” His voice dropped two octaves, sending shivers through her body. “Say the words, and it’ll be just you and me...”

Thinking fast, she jumped off of his lap and grabbed her phone, the loud groan of her lover making her giggle. “Fine, Kotetsu. I’ll send them a text. It’s only half past 11 now. How about we go and get some food?”

“You don’t want me to cook?” Kotetsu asked, feigning disappointment.  
She found Ivan’s number and began to send him a text. “I don’t care if you want to or not. I just was suggesting something.” She pressed send, and set her phone down, not wanting to wait for his answer. “I sent Ivan a text. They may already have plans.”

“That’s fine,” Kotetsu pulled on her wrist, Karina only too happy to follow his lead. “But in the meantime, what should we do?” His goatee tickled the side of her neck, making her feel all warm.

“I wouldn’t mind just doing this,” she spoke quietly. “Kotetsu, you don’t get the Sternbild News, do you?”

The older man tilted his head. “Hrm...I do. It should be out on my porch. Why? Is that the paper that Agnes told you about?”

“Yes.” She didn’t want to correct him, since it was actually her mother who first pointed her in the direction. If she told him what she had said, then he would worry, and she didn’t want him to worry. Even though she was sure the man was just being polite, but was probably listening in on her conversation. Karina watched him get up from the bed, and grabbed a pair of boxer briefs from his dresser, slipping them on. “Awww.” Now it was her turn to complain about her lover covering up.

Chuckling, Kotetsu leaned over and gave her a soft kiss on the cheek. “You’re still in my shirt, so really, it should be me that’s whining.” He quickly pulled it off of her, leaving her naked, a flush rushing through her body. “Much better.

“Go get the paper.” Karina sat back on the bed, keeping her arms down to not cover herself up. If she was going to learn to be more comfortable with her body, being in this state with her boyfriend should be something natural.

As she heard her lover walk down the flight of stairs, she heard her phone buzz, and quickly got up to grab it. Reading the text she had received, a soft smile appeared. She heard the front door open and close, and soon heard her lover taking steps two at a time. He walked back into the bedroom, unfolding the newspaper. “What is it, Karina?”

“Ivan said he and Keith would be more than happy to come over for dinner this evening, and have even volunteered to bring the food.” She held her hand out. “May I please see the paper?”

Kotetsu sat back down on the bed, and handed it over to her. “What happened when you spoke to your mother?”

“I....” Karina stared at the front page, and saw herself, right in the middle of the hostage situation. She looked up and felt that facade slowly beginning to crumble. “She said she thought the girl in the picture looked a lot like me.”

He quickly took the paper away from her, seeing just how right her mother, as well as Agnes, had been. He threw the offending article to the floor, and secured Karina in his arms, hugging her tightly. “Karina, it’s okay. You didn’t want her to know. If it will make you feel better, why don’t you call her? Or, better yet, when you go home tomorrow, why don’t you talk to her about it?”

“My father will be so disappointed in me.” She rested her head against his chest, sighing softly. “Do you know what it’s like to have to hear the disappointment in your parents’ voice?”

“You forget that I’m a father myself,” Kotetsu gave her a soft squeeze. “So, yes, I know what you mean. However, I don’t think that I’ve ever been disappointed in Kaede. Even if she did something I wasn’t too pleased about, I would never be disappointed. You did your best, and like I said before, it wasn’t your fault. So, please, Hime....let’s not think about it anymore, okay? Let’s enjoy the rest of our weekend. Think nothing more of it.”

She felt his words wash over her, and took the meaning to heart. “You’ve honestly never been disappointed in Kaede? Ever?”

“Of course not.” Kotetsu shook his head. “The only time I may have felt something to that nature was when she discovered her NEXT powers. I was sincerely hoping that she wouldn’t have to be bothered with them, but so much for that.” He began to rub her back gently, Karina leaning in towards his touch. “But even that was momentary. I know she’ll be able to handle it, and will make good use of what her power is.”

Karina bit her bottom lip. “Are you scared something could happen to her?”

“All the time.” Kotetsu pulled Karina closer to him. “But I also worry about you, Karina. I don’t want anyone to take you away from me, as you’ve made me happier than I’ve been in quite a long time.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck tightly, hugging him back tightly. “Kotetsu, I....” She could feel the words wanting to slip out of her mouth, and could feel her lips form the two words she was hesitating to say. “I....”

The loud blaring tone of an annoying pop song blasted, ruining their moment as Kotetsu’s phone began to ring louder. “Gomen!” Kotetsu grabbed it off the nightstand, quickly muting it. “I didn’t realize I had kept the ringer on.”

“What on earth was that terrible song?” Karina slipped off of his lap and sat on the edge of the bed. “And why would you make it your ring??”

His hand went to the back of his neck, a grin on his face. “So I’d make sure to answer it right away. To stop it from ringing further?” She laughed, shaking her head. “What? Don’t judge me.”

“If I did that, do you think I’d be naked on your bed?” Karina smirked, laying on her back, arching her chest in the same fashion she had done before. She rested her hand on his upper thigh, playing with the soft cloth of his boxer briefs. “And why are these still on, when you took away my own article of clothing, hmmm?” Her hand snuck up his thigh, her fingers sliding across his sac in a teasing manner. He moaned low, legs spreading a little, as her fingers stroked the tightening skin beneath his girth. “Unless you’d rather make a mess in your shorts...?” Moving on their own accord, her fingers trickled up his hardening length, a smile making its way onto her face as she watched his expressions.

“K-Karina...” Kotetsu’s groans were making it easier for her hand to fondle his sac gently, as she adjusted herself, sitting up to face him as her hand moved further back. She rubbed her palm gently across the soft flesh, Kotetsu’s soft moans indicating she was doing something right.

Her other hand slipped down the front of his boxer briefs, covering the base of his girth with a tight grip. She moved her hand slowly, afraid at the lack of wetness that she would end up chafing him somehow. But it seemed that her lover didn’t care, and was rolling his hips towards her touch, as her hands alternated giving him pleasure. As her fingers passed over the crown, she felt his precum coat her palm, which she used to her advantage. She could feel herself growing hot as she rocked her own body, her breasts feeling a little bit heavier as a thirst for his hands on her body began to overtake her senses. As if reading her mind, his hands began to massage both breasts, making her moan softly as her hands kept moving. She cried out softly as he pinched her nipples, the feeling going straight to her center. Moving her hand a little bit faster, she began to roll his sac gently with her other hand, Kotetsu apparently enjoying this new activity, gracing her with louder moans.

“Karina....I’m....” Kotetsu’s mouth began to go slack, a telltale sign that he was very close to his orgasm.

She whispered in his ear softly, “Please come, Kotetsu...” She moved her hand faster, as his fingers began to pinch her harder, making her almost lose concentration and focus on what she was doing to his body. “Aaah...Kotetsu...” She cried out, pushing against those taunting fingers. Warmth covered her hand, as her lover’s release began to cascade out of him, his soft grunts and groans giving her a heady feeling.

Once he was finished, she gently took both of her hands away, almost getting caught in his boxer briefs, as they were both at different angles. Giggling at the absurdity, she wiped off her hands on the towel they had used the night before. “Perhaps a new towel is in order?” She held it out towards him, which he took with a breathless chuckle.

“Perhaps you’re right.” He began to clean himself up, as Karina turned her head to the side. “You said something about food?” Kotetsu dropped the towel back to the floor.

Her stomach growled loudly at the mention of being fed, causing a blush to cover her cheeks. “Food sounds wonderful.”

“Then, how about we get dressed and go grab a quick bite to eat?” He kissed her softly, their lips lingering against one another for a few extra seconds, before pulling apart.

“I think that a great idea.” Karina smiled. “Kotetsu?” She watched him get up, grabbing another clean pair of boxers before taking the soiled ones off and throwing them in the hamper. Such a natural act made the young woman smile.

“Yes, Karina-chan?” He asked, pulling his pants on.

“I love you.” She smiled, as his eyes seemed to sparkle with the same sentiment. He jumped on the bed, covering her face with kisses. “Aaah!! No, stop!! I’ll never say it again if this is going to be your reaction!!” She squealed, loving the affection he spoiled her with.

“I love you too, Karina.” His words gave her a comfort she didn’t realize she had been missing.

She smiled and got dressed, grabbing a simple dress from her overnight bag. Deciding that her lover was right, she pushed the thoughts of last night away, and just focused on what was happening right now. The day already seemed brighter because of it, and Karina really looking forward their evening plans with their friends. _One step at a time_. 

* * *

**A/N:** Some fluff, some smut, and just the right amount of cuteness. :) Up next, a fun dinner date with Keith and Ivan. Thanks for reading! 


	25. Chapter 25

Kotetsu was frantically cleaning, trying to get the living room to be as pristine as it could be. He was happy that Karina wanted to host people at his place, but the moment he had agreed to it, he went into ‘clean’ mode. At some point, she had abandoned him to go and get ready, as he began to mop the kitchen floor. It wasn’t that he was worried about the others judging his place, but he was almost positive that Keith’s home would be immaculate.

“Are you still cleaning?” He heard Karina giggling at him from up above. “Kotetsu, the place is fine. I don’t know why you’re still freaking out. Are you going to take a shower? They’ll be here in a half hour.”

Setting the mop back into its appropriate spot in his cleaning pantry, he wiped off his brow. “I suppose I should. Do you think we got enough food?” They had made a run out to the store in the afternoon, grabbing snacks and different choices for alcohol. He sighed softly as Karina’s arms encircled his waist, her damp skin pressing against his back.

“You worry too much, oji-san.” Karina giggled more as he groaned. “Go upstairs and shower. I’ll take care of getting things set up down here.”

Kotetsu patted her hands. “You sure?” He turned and glanced down. “You look beautiful, Karina-chan.” He admired the blue dress she wore, which accentuated her petite figure very nicely. “Does this mean you’d like for me to dress up?”

“You wear whatever you want.” She made her way over to the fridge. “Now, if you don’t get your butt upstairs, I’m going to start screeching like a banshee.”

He laughed, and set his rag down next to the mop. “Fine, fine. I wouldn’t want my neighbors to think someone was being murdered over here.” He kissed her cheek quickly, then headed up the stairs, listening to the sounds of her chopping up the vegetables they had bought. He felt an overwhelming sense of domestication, and honestly rather enjoyed having a woman back in his life. He hoped that once her birthday passed, her parents wouldn’t be opposed to the idea of their relationship. It was close, but not close enough for him to dwell on those thoughts more. He headed into the bathroom, and kept the door open a little, wanting to make sure that if Karina needed him, he’d hear her.

After getting cleaned up, and then shaving his face, he peeked over the side of the bannister. “Everything going okay down there?” He called down to his lover, smiling as she kept wiggling her butt, bobbing along to whatever was playing in her earbuds. He took that as a sign that all was well, and went into his bedroom. Wanting to compliment his lover’s attire, he decided to wear a pair of black slacks and a nice buttoned up blue shirt. He grabbed an undershirt from his dresser, and began to get dressed.

The sound of the doorbell echoed up towards the rafters, as Kotetsu was putting his pants on. He heard Karina call out, “Coming!” and quickly finished getting ready. As he began to walk down the stairs, he saw both Keith and Ivan entering. But, Karina wasn’t closing the door, as there were more people streaming through. Following behind them were both Antonio and Nathan, and bringing up the rear was -

“Bunny-chan??” Kotetsu couldn’t hide his surprise at seeing his partner there. “What are you doing here?”

Barnaby pushed his glasses up his nose, giving a small shrug of his shoulders. “Antonio invited me. There a problem with that?”

“Of course not.” Karina took him by the arm. “Don’t let his sourpuss face make you think it’s an issue. He’s probably worried we didn’t get enough to drink. I’m glad you made it.” She smiled, and walked with him over to the couch.

Ivan set the large trays he was carrying down on the kitchen counter. “We knew they’d be coming, so we made sure to bring extra food.”

“And we wouldn’t come empty-handed~!” Nathan trilled, holding up four bottles of wine and champagne, and Antonio showed he was carrying a case of beer. “So, quit being silly, Tiger-san. Let’s just enjoy our night, hmm?”

He walked over to Antonio and grabbed the beer. “Thanks for bringing this.” He said, trying not to let it bother him too much that more than the two he planned for were suddenly in attendance. It’s not like he hadn’t had the other Heroes over before, but he wasn’t in the mindframe to host a large party. Two people, fine. Five was stretching it. He was surprised that Dragon Kid hadn’t shown up with them as well, making all the Heroes of the first string at his place.

“Welcome. Need any help putting them away?” Antonio took off his jacket, hanging it up by the door. Kotetsu watched him take Nathan’s without any quarrel, and couldn’t help but smirk at the glance the two men shared.

“No, no. I got it. You go and sit down. Make yourselves comfortable. You know where the extra chairs are?”

The larger man nodded. “I’ll go grab them.” Kotetsu watched him grab the keys by the door, knowing just which key to use to unlock the garage. He turned and looked at Nathan, who was wearing a knowing smile on his face.

“What?” Kotetsu couldn’t help but ask, given the way the man was staring at him. “Is there something on my face?” He touched his cheeks, afraid he hadn’t wiped off all the soap from his shave.

Nathan shook his head, chuckling. “No, handsome. Don’t worry. Sorry if we’re crashing your party, but it sounded like it was going to be a fun night, and after what happened last night, I think all of us could use a nice night.”

“What do you mean? Why would it matter to the rest of you?” Kotetsu asked, clearly confused by what the man was saying. He saw Antonio walk back in, carrying two sets of chairs under his arms, unfolding them near the couch. He heard the sound of the couch being pushed backwards, and the unmistakable squeal of his girlfriend, who apparently had not gotten up as the men pushed it further out of the way.

“Handsome, you’re not the only person that cares about her, you know~.” Nathan gave him a knowing glance. “We all love her in our own ways, and to see what happened to her really shook the lot of us up. You didn’t see it because you were too busy making sure she was okay, but trust me when I say that all of us were very concerned for her well being.”

He stood there, shocked by what the man was saying. He really hadn’t thought of the others, and how they were handling the situation, as he figured it was just routine. Just another rescue mission. Nothing out of the ordinary. But, thinking about it as a teammate, rather than as a lover, he could see just how stupid he was, and should have realized that they would also feel some sort of remorse for what had happened. He felt Antonio’s hand on his shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze.

“Don’t let it bother you too much, Kotetsu.” Antonio spoke quietly. “She’s our comrade, and one of our own.” He watched Nathan walk over towards the fridge, putting the wine and champagne away.

Kotetsu’s shoulders sagged. “I didn’t even think about it…”

“It’s cool. No one expected you to. Which is why we kinda all invited ourselves.” Antonio handed him a beer, which he took gratefully. “You two get anything done today?”

Snorting, Kotetsu shook his head. “Hardly. Say, if you all are here, why didn’t Dragon Kid come? I’m sure Karina wouldn’t have minded another female presence. I mean, besides Fire Emblem.”

“I heard that~!” Nathan threw both of them a look. Kotetsu laughed, while he noticed his oldest friend start to blush. Shaking his head, he took a swig of his beer. He saw Karina was involved in a conversation with both Bunny and Sky High, and seemed very carefree, her tinkling laughter a nice staccato over the other conversations taking place.

Antonio held up his hands defensively to the other man. “She is having a sleepover with her friends, but she says she sends her love. Ivan tried to get her to come.”

“That’s funny. That’s the same excuse Karina-chan is using to be here tonight.” Kotetsu said off-handedly, sipping his beer. His eyes were still on his lover’s, his heart beating a little bit harder every time she leaned in towards Bunny to hear what he had to say.

His friend coughed against the back of his hand. “Still sneaking around? How much longer until you can be out in the open?”

“Well, we are out in the open. Just not in front of her parents.” Kotetsu groaned, turning away from the others to look at Antonio. “And don’t give me crap, because I know this is silly. I just…”

“Hmm?” Antonio took a sip of his beer. “What is it?”

“I love her.” Kotetsu spoke quietly, but still, the green eyes of his partner seemed to find his the moment he made his admission. He made a noise, and turned back to look at Antonio. “I mean, what I mean to say is-”

“It’s okay. I know what you mean.” Nathan walked up over to where they were standing, slipping his arm around Antonio’s waist. “Just...don’t be stupid about it, okay? Use your head.” Antonio tapped against his skull playfully. “This one.”

“Oh, ha ha.” Kotetsu rolled his eyes and headed over to where his girlfriend was sitting. “How are things going over here?” He asked out loud, not really addressing one singular person, but the group as a whole.

Karina looked up at him, and graced him with the most beautiful smile. “Everything is great! I’m so glad everyone is here! Aren’t you? I mean, I wish Pao-Lin ws here, but I’m sure our texts and pictures will make her feel like she’s here.”

“Pictures?!” Kotetsu asked, surprised by that. “Just be careful. Make sure it’s just between our group, neh?”

“Don’t worry so much, oji-san.” Barnaby sat back on the couch. “None of us would ever dream of announcing a party at your house. Think of the turmoil it might bring amongst the crime lords of the city.”

“Now, now. Let’s not be silly.” Keith interrupted, a large smile on his face. “Kotetsu-san, would you like some help in the kitchen?”

Before he went over to attack his partner, Kotetsu listened to what the man had asked, and gave a sharp nod of his head. “If you wouldn’t mind?” He blew a kiss at Karina, wanting her to know she was the only thing that mattered to him at that moment. She playfully caught the kiss in her hand, and clutched her hands to her chest. Grinning, Kotetsu walked back into the kitchen with Keith, all five steps away from where everyone else.

“I hope you don’t mind me offering to help,” Keith said, taking the trays that they had put into the oven out. “I know we brought more people than we spoke about, but it seems that everyone is enjoying themselves.”

“How come no one said anything to me about being worried about her?” Kotetsu kept his voice down, hoping no one could hear their conversation. “Antonio just told me the reason they were here. Is that true?”

“Hai.” Keith nodded his head, arranging the different trays on the kitchen counter carefully. “We all needed this....soiree. There’s still more liquor to drink!”

Kotetsu smirked. “Yes, there is. But what about driving? My place is nowhere near big enough to let everyone crash here.”

“Oh, that won’t be a problem. No problem at all.” Keith grinned. “Antonio has already offered to take us back to our place, since he picked us up.”

“Did he really?” Kotetsu turned around, and saw that everyone was talking together, laughter filling the room once more. He wished he was a part of the conversation, and really wanted to be seated next to his girl, but his duty as host was first. “That’s nice. Did Bunny-chan go with you guys too?”

Keith shook his head. “No, he came on his own.”

“Ah, I see.” Kotetsu said. He turned around, once everything was set up, and cleared his throat. “Ahem. Well, if any of you are hungry, Keith and Ivan’s wonderful food is ready to eat.”

Karina jumped up and ran over to them. “I’m starving!” She giggled, her champagne glass no longer full. Kotetsu took it from her, handing her a plate in exchange. “Thank you, love.”

“No problem.” His heart began to beat faster at the term of endearment, really wishing that no one else was there with them. He could feel himself getting a little bit excited, just thinking about what the two of them would be doing when they all left. Needing a moment to cool down, he walked over to the fridge to refill her drink.

He felt his presence behind him without having to turn around. “Can we go outside to talk?” Barnaby’s reflection in the fridge stared at him. Kotetsu sighed and gave a simple nod of his head.

Walking over to where his girlfriend had sat back down, he placed her drink on the table. “I’ll be right back, Karina-chan.” He leaned over, brushing his lips across her cheek. He felt the heat on her cheek increase almost immediately, smirking as he recognized the signs of her blush.

“Okay, Kotetsu.” Her eyes met his, the two of them lost in each other for the briefest of moments, before Nathan began to make fun of the two of them.

“You two need to get a room~!” Nathan cooed, laughter erupting from everyone except the two of them, and the man who had already made his way outside. Kotetsu’s cheeks burned, as he pulled away from his lover.

“Well, if you lot hadn’t shown up, perhaps that’s just where we’d be!” Kotetsu chuckled nervously, running his hand through his hair.

Rather than listen to the rest of them razz him for something he wasn’t even sure what it was, Kotetsu took his leave and headed outside. He looked around and saw Barnaby was sitting on the neighbor’s fence, his hands buried in his pants pockets. Kotetsu suddenly felt that nervous energy he had felt before, not quite sure just what was going on in his partner’s mind. _Did he hear me? Is that why he’s pulled me outside?_

He sat down next to the lanky blonde, drawing his knee up to his chest, sitting in a similar position that he was sitting. “Why’d you want to come outside and talk?”

“It’s cooler out here.” Barnaby said, his shoulders hunched over.

“Tssch. I think you meant to say it’s freezing out here!” He lamented at not grabbing his jacket before stepping outside. It was uncharacteristically cold for this time of year. He took a deep breath, and watched as it turned into a visible steam. “Now, before my fingers and toes fall off, what was so important that you had to pull me outside?”

Barnaby kept his head down, his eyes staring at something on the ground. “You love her.”

“I do.” Kotetsu said, nodding his head. “I love her very much. She’s given me a reason to get up in the morning, and a reason to look forward to the night.”

“But she’s still so young.” Barnaby pulled his hands out of his pockets, and turned to face him on the wall. “How can you feel comfortable with that, when your own daughter is only a few years younger than she is?”

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Bunny-chan, you know as well as I do that their age difference is more than a few years. More like 8. So, really, in the scheme of things, those 8 years make a very big difference. And why does it even bother you if I love her? You can’t tell me you still have feelings for me, right?” Kotetsu was saying it as a joke, hoping that his friend would take it that way.

“I…” Barnaby stood up from the fence. “Of course not, Kotetsu. Why would you even suggest that? I don’t care about you that way.” The look of ferocity in his eyes made Kotetsu think otherwise, but he knew his partner better than anyone. If he said he didn’t, then he was going to believe him.

“Then what’s the problem? Why is it bad that I love her? That I’m _in_ love with her?” Kotetsu wished he had brought his beer outside with him, as his hands were fidgeting with his pockets, unable to keep still.

The coiffed blonde turned away from him. “My problem is is that you’re my partner. I can’t have to second guess what you’re doing because of her. If we run into trouble again, like we did last night, are you going to react the same way? Or are you going to be calm and level headed?”

“I was calm!” Kotetsu could feel his anger start to boil. “Are you saying that you think she’s become a liability between the two of us? Is that what you’re trying to say, Barnaby?”

His partner stood still. “What did you just call me?”

“Bunny-chan.” Kotetsu sighed, trying to push the anger aside. “Look, it doesn’t matter. I’m telling you, it’s still you and me. You and I are partners. I’ve got your back like you’ve got mine. No one is going to change that, unless Agnes decides to change everything up.”

Barnaby spoke so low, he almost didn’t hear him. “What if _she_ would rather it be that way?”

“If you’re insinuating that Karina is going to get in the way of our partnership and our _friendship_ , then that’s absurd. You saying something like that makes me think that you’re jealous, Bunny-chan, and there’s no reason for you to be. She already told you just as much when we first started to see each other. Everything is still the same as it was.”

“It isn’t!” Barnaby spit out. “It isn’t the same. You and I, we used to talk on the phone. Now, I can only assume it’s her that you’re speaking to. You’re my best friend, Kotetsu. I feel like I’ve lost my best friend to someone else, and I can’t do anything about it.”

Taking a moment, Kotetsu tried to see it from the other side. _Maybe I haven’t been calling him as much as I used to._ “Maybe you’re right. And I’m sorry for that,” Kotetsu rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “I will try to remember to contact you more. But, you know, you can call me too.”

“I don’t want to interrupt you.” His partner muttered, his eyes back to staring at something on the ground. “I’d rather not know if you’re busy sexting her, or phone sexing with her, or just plain engaging in sex.”

Kotetsu barked out a laugh. “Geez, Bunny-chan. Is that what you think we do? Am I that much of a pervert to make you think along those lines? Thanks for that.” He walked over to his friend, and grabbed his shoulder gently. “Quit thinking like that. If anyone is going to destroy this partnership, it’s going to be you and that stupid head of yours.” He tapped his finger against Barnaby’s temple, smiling as he noticed a small smile start to appear on his face. “You know I’m right.” He let go of him and stepped away. “Now, do you feel better?”

“A little.” Barnaby nodded his head slowly. “But, oji-san, if she does start to get in the way…”

“Enough.” Kotetsu said. “She won’t. You have nothing to worry about. It’s Tiger & Bunny, right? It isn’t Barnaby-san and Tiger-san. No. It’s you and me, working together as a team. I mean, how would ‘Good luck mode’ work if one of us wasn’t around? You think Saito would be real thrilled about that?”

“Does it even have to matter?” Barnaby asked. “What has that got to do with anything?”

“It’s got everything to do with anything!” Kotetsu wrapped his arm around Barnaby’s shoulder, walking back towards the house. “Listen to me. I don’t want this to come up again, and not around her. I’ll talk to her, make sure that she’s on the same page as me, which I’m almost one hundred percent positive that she is. If she’s not, then I will let her understand that you and I are a team. Just as she and I are becoming a team, but in our private lives.” He dropped his arm as they got to his front door. “What I do behind closed doors is no one’s business except my own. So, really, it shouldn’t matter. You worry too much, Bunny-chan.”

He opened the door for his partner, who gave a simple shrug of his shoulders. “I never said that I didn’t.” Barnaby walked over to where the food was, and began to dish himself out some food. 

Karina got up from the couch, and walked over to him, smiling softly. “Everything okay, Kotetsu?”

“Yeah, sweetie. Everything is good.” He pulled her close to him, hugging her gently. “Are you having a nice evening?”

She giggled, and looked up at him. “Of course I am. Why would I not be?”

He brushed some of the hair off of her forehead, happy to see just how at peace she seemed to be. Keith was right to invite everyone over. This was just what they all needed. “I have no idea.” He leaned over, speaking softly into her ear. “I love the dress you picked to wear, Karina. You look radiant in it.”

“I’m glad you like it!” She laughed, as he rubbed his chin against her neck. “Quit it!!”

Kotetsu kept rubbing his chin against her neck, the noise of his hairs scratching her skin made him smile. “Quit what? I’m not doing anything…”

“Enough, you two~!” Nathan called out over to them. “Handsome, aren’t you going to eat something? You haven’t touched any of the food.”

He let go of his lover, who retreated back to her spot on the couch, a small bounce in her step. “I guess I could eat something.” Kotetsu walked over to the spread of food. “Thanks for bringing this, you two.” He looked over at both Keith and Ivan, and saw that Ivan was perched precariously on Keith’s knee. “It smells delicious.”

“It is!” Antonio gave his opinion wholeheartedly. “Oy, Kotetsu! Will you grab another beer for me?”

Kotetsu placed his plate down and went over to the fridge. “Anyone else need anything?”

A loud chorus of everyone answered him, making the older man laugh. “So much for eating.” He grabbed everyone a drink, then found one for himself, before he went back to helping himself to food. He went over to the couch, and inserted himself between his partner and his girlfriend, who both seemed to be pleased with his choice. “A toast?” He set his plate on his lap, picking up his beer.

“Toast? To what, handsome~?” Nathan’s smile was infectious, going around the room like lightning.

Kotetsu tilted his head in thought. After a few quiet moments, he came up with the perfect toast. “To friendship!” He lifted his beer glass, glancing at Karina, who wore as large as smile as he did.

“To friendship! Kampai!” Everyone toasted, and took a sip of their respective drinks.

Settling back on the couch, Kotetsu watched everyone as they enjoyed themselves in his home. He would have to remember to thank Keith later for inviting the lot of them. He just hoped they weren’t going to stay too horribly late, as he had a date with Karina in his bedroom that he was very much looking forward to.

...

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**A/N:** I think that talk was long overdue for the two of them. One can’t help but feel threatened when there’s a new presence taking over someone’s life. Up next, some sexy time. :) Thanks for reading!


	26. Chapter 26

Karina flopped on the couch, not caring to be very ladylike with her actions. She had just said goodnight to the last of the Heroes, and was watching Kotetsu stumble around a little, trying to pick up empty beer bottles. There wasn’t too much of a mess, as the Heroes made sure to pick up after themselves, but there were a few stray bottles. Luckily, Keith had shown up with paper plates and plastic utensils, so there was only one real dish that needed to be washed, and that was her champagne flute.

“Would you like some help?” She laid down on the couch, giggling at herself for offering, yet proceeded to lay down instead. “I mean, it seems like you’ve got everything under control.”

Her lover turned around, and shook his head. “You just stay right there. Did you want another drink?” He walked over to her and grabbed her empty flute.

“I wouldn’t say no.” She smiled softly, sitting back up slowly. “Are you going to drink anymore?”

Kotetsu shook his head. “No, but only because I’ve got other plans.” He poured more sparkling wine for her, filling her flute to the top.

“Oh?” She took a sip, before the effervescence made the liquid spill over the lip of the flute. “And just what do you have in mind, if you want me to be...tipsy?”

He walked back over to the fridge, putting the bottle back. “Well, as I recall, you said something about perhaps doing some things with me. _Alone_ , that is.” Kotetsu turned, his mouth curled up in a predatory smile.

“Kotetsu,” Karina’s breath hitched, feeling herself growing warm as he stared at her. She wanted to put the champagne back down, but was afraid of it spilling all over the floor, thanks to her hand wanting to shake. She did want to spend some time alone with him. It was all she could think about as the evening began to wind down. She almost wanted to just shout to their friends “GET OUT!” but knew it would be in bad form if she acted that way.

Holding his hand out to her, he winked playfully. “Will you take my hand?”

“What if I say no?” She took one final sip of her bubbly, before setting the flute on the table. Taking his offered hand, she was soon swept off her feet, just as she had anticipated him doing. “Why must you always carry me?” She laughed, wrapping her arms around his neck in a familiar embrace.

“Can I help it if I enjoy being your prince? You are my Hime, after all.” Their lips met in a chaste kiss, before Kotetsu pulled away to focus on the task at hand. “I thought they would never leave.” He muttered, as he began to walk up the stairs, careful to not jostle Karina too much.

She closed her eyes, and rested against his shoulder. “I know! I felt the same way. But, I didn’t want to be rude, and just ask them to leave.” They entered his bedroom, and she could feel that warmth returning, as Kotetsu set her down gently on the bed.

“Yes, but as I understand it, everyone was having a good time.” Kotetsu smiled, and began to unbutton the shirt he was wearing. She reached for the hem of her dress, but was stopped by his hands. “Ah, ah. I will be taking care of that in a moment, Hime. Don’t you worry.”

Blushing at the endearment, Karina nodded and watched as her boyfriend stripped out of his clothes. She had been itching to be alone with him since earlier in the day, when she had deprived herself of an orgasm. It hadn’t mattered to her, as she rather enjoyed making Kotetsu feel good. That feeling of power over him was intoxicating, and was making her head spin with ideas, as he shimmied out of his pants.

“Why are you still wearing your underwear?” She asked, noticing the bulge at the front, making his boxer briefs a little too snug for comfort. “Got something you’re hiding from me?” She teased him.

“Of course not, Karina-chan.” He sat at the foot of the bed, and grabbed her leg with ease. His lips caressed her inner ankle, sending a sharp shiver through her body. “I just thought you might enjoy taking them off yourself.”

She spread her legs a little, as she laid down on the bed, watching what Kotetsu was doing to her legs. “I think I can manage that.” She moaned softly, as his lips tickled a sensitive spot on her foot.

“But, I must take care of you first,” Kotetsu’s tongue licked a short path up her leg, stopping at her knee. “As I recall, _someone_ did not get any pleasure this morning.”

“I don’t know what you mean,” Karina leaned her head back, curling her fingers into the bedsheet, gripping it tightly. “Making you come like you did was all the pleasure I needed.”

Kotetsu’s head was now under the hem of her dress, his lips dangerously close to where her wet panties were. She could feel his hot breath through the flimsy satin, and knew that even with the limited lights that were on, he could no doubt see just how turned on she was by what he was doing to her. A cool breath blew against her skin, as she heard Kotetsu hum low.

“Is that so?” Kotetsu’s teeth were now holding onto the waistband of her panties, and began to slowly inch it downwards. “Because, you know,” he spoke with the fabric balancing precariously between his teeth, “I could just stop what I’m doing right now.”

“No,” Karina moaned softly, helping him guide the unwanted clothing off of her body. “Please… I don’t want you to stop.”

The sound of him letting go of the panties resounded through the quiet room. He kissed the inside of her thigh, as he made his way back up the length of her body. “Does that mean you want something from me?”

His amber eyes gleamed, as Karina’s breath started to become labored with anticipation. “I do.” She nodded her head, meeting his stare dead on.

“Tell me what you’d like, Hime.” He gave a gentle flick of his tongue against her inner thigh, causing her to moan softly.

“I…” She didn’t know how to ask him for what she wanted. Still learning her way in the bedroom, she closed her eyes and tossed her head back. “I want you to…”

The dress she had been wearing was suddenly pulled over her head, as she felt his body press close to hers. The warmth of his clothed groin against her naked lower half made her whimper softly. Her breasts were spilling out of her bra, begging to be released from their confines. The soft scrapes of Kotetsu’s chin against her skin, as his lips kissed the mounds was becoming too much for her. She wrapped one leg around his, and pulled him close to her body.

“Take it _off_ ,” she begged quietly in his ear, moaning as she felt his hands caress her back.

“Take what off, Karina?” Kotetsu asked, his fingers brushing against the area where her bra hooked. “Is _this_ what you wish for me to take off? Or perhaps you’d rather I take _these_ off?” His fingers moved from behind her back, to snap the elastic of his boxer briefs.

At a loss as to which she wanted more, she rolled her hips against his leg. “Those...first…” She was anxious to feel it against her folds, knowing that it would finally give her what she’d been waiting for the entire evening.

Kotetsu lost his boxer briefs with a quick tug of his hand, his lower half now just as naked as hers was. His hand made its way back to her bra, and soon, that last article of clothing was gone. She arched her back, as both of his hands found her breasts, fingers pinching each nipple with equal force.

“Aah…” Karina moaned softly, arching her chest more, as Kotetsu’s fingers became more aggressive in their pinching. “H-Harder…” She cried out, enjoying how good it felt to relinquish complete control to him.

His lips replaced one set of fingers, as his teeth grazed over her sensitive nipple. “Are you sure, Karina? I don’t want to hurt you,” Kotetsu’s tongue flicked over the hardened nipple.

“You won’t...!” She cried out, pushing against his tongue, as he continued to tease her.

His teeth bit down on her nipple, making her claw the bed helplessly. She could feel herself growing warmer, the more he bit down, that warmth spreading over her entire body. She cried out, as his fingers were suddenly against her center, spreading her lips apart with a gentle caress.

Kotetsu lifted his head, his amber eyes burning. “Someone is ready…”

“I told you,” Karina moaned, as she pushed her hips down, as his fingers avoided the one spot she was hoping he would touch. “I need you, Kotetsu. P-Please…”

Pulling his fingers away from her folds, he hovered over her. “How would you like me, Hime?” His lips grazed the tops of her breasts, the soft kisses sending her heart racing.

“C-Can we try something…?” She was hesitant to ask, because she didn’t want him to say no. She knew that he wouldn’t, but having that fear in the back of her mind always made her question if what she was going to suggest would get shot down or not. But, she would never know unless she actually said something, so she tried to embrace the sex kitten he had spoken of before, and stared into his eyes.

He met her eyes once more. “What would you like to try, Karina?” He didn’t bother to use his nickname for her, which made her happy. She knew that he could tell she was frightened, but was more than willing to be accommodating for her.

“I’d like for you to lay on your back, but, can you put your hands above your head? Like this?” Demonstrating with her arms straight up, she tried not to laugh at how silly she felt. She could see the position in her mind, one that she had found in a magazine that her friends had given her. Looking around, she saw Kotetsu’s domino mask on the nightstand, and grabbed it. “Will you wear this for me?”

Groaning low, Kotetsu nodded. “I think I can do that for you, Karina-chan.” He laid down on the bed, making sure he was comfortable, before he slipped the domino mask onto his face. He raised his hands above his head, and looked up at her. “How’s this?”

“Perfect.” She moaned appreciatively, loving how he looked with that mask on. All too often she had imagined herself doing naughty things to him while he wore that mask, prior to their relationship beginning, and here she was, enjoying just that. She moved to straddle his waist, with both of her knees bent.

She placed her hands on his upper thighs, using them as leverage for herself. Once her wrists were locked, and her hands were secured, she sank down onto his arousal, moaning softly. She heard him moan low, and could hear his hands fidgeting above his head. Not wanting him to move just yet, she slipped her right leg to be stretched out, her foot going directly under his shoulder. Once that foot was taken care of, she slipped her left foot to be in the same position.

She looked down, and saw his eyes were on her, watching her intently. She met his eyes, as she rolled her hips, finding him being pushed further into her body at this unique angle.

Kotetsu’s mouth dropped open in a loud moan, as she rolled her hips more. “Nngh...Karina… Let me touch you…”

“N-No…” She gasped, as her fingers slipped down his legs, to be on his shins. Finally finding a good balance, she began to roll her hips. “N-Not….yet….” She moved her hips backwards, moaning as his arousal found her g-spot. “O-Oh….yes….” Moving her hips in the same fashion, she felt him slip further inside of her with each roll of her hips.

She could feel her breasts swaying with each swivel of her hips, the sound of them slapping on her body having no effect on her. Had this been towards the beginning of the sexual relationship, she would have been embarrassed at the sounds her body was making, but now she knew better. There was nothing to be embarrassed by how good her body was feeling, knowing Kotetsu was feeling equally as good as she was, based upon the noises the man was making.

“N-Now…?” Kotetsu asked, his arms still locked above his head, as she began to move her hips faster.

“Yes!!” Karina shouted, as she felt her body start to climax, after one particular move of her hips. She rode out her orgasm, as she felt Kotetsu’s arms wrap around her suddenly, and began to bounce her hard on his lap.

Wrapping her legs around his waist, she pressed against him, breathless from her orgasm. She knew they weren’t close to being done, and was more than happy with that knowledge. She couldn’t get enough of her lover; she was becoming quite hooked on how he made her body feel. Just as she thought that, she felt the bed against her back, as Kotetsu had moved them once more, her legs still wrapped tightly around his waist.

“Karina….I love you…” Kotetsu murmured, as his hips moved faster, pushing deeper inside of her body.

She met his eyes, moving back and forth between each amber eye, loving how striking they looked with the domino mask on. “L-Love….you….too…” She cried out, as one sudden push of his hips began to rub her in the right way.

His mouth captured hers in a searing kiss, as their bodies rocked together faster. She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, pressing her chest against his, moaning loud into the kiss as their skin touched each other intimately. She could feel her second climax approaching, and sent a warning to her lover with a high pitched moan, as their tongues moved together. Kotetsu broke the kiss off, as he threw back his head with a loud shout. Karina felt herself fly with her second orgasm, as they climaxed together, crying out as the intense feeling took over her entire body.

Both panted softly, as Kotetsu came to rest on her chest. Her legs slipped off of his body, as her body became a limp noodle. “You okay, Karina…?” His breath tickled the side of her neck, making her giggle breathlessly.

“Yes, Kotetsu. I’m feeling pretty good at the moment.” She kissed his jaw, and took his mask off for him. “How about you?”

“Mmm….perfect.” Kotetsu slipped out of her gently, and grabbed the towel off the floor. He pressed it to her center, gently wiping her clean, before taking care of himself. She didn’t bother to be shy about it, as it was just one of those things that had become habit for the two of them, since she had admitted she was on the pill and no longer used a condom, which had taken care of the clean up for them.

“Perfect, huh?” She curled up against him, as he laid back down on the bed. “I think that no one is perfect, but I suppose I can allow you to think like that, if you want.” She closed her eyes, and rested against his chest, yawning softly.

“You’re perfect to me, Hime.” His hands ran through her hair. “I can’t think of something more perfect than you.”

Snorting, she looked up at him. “Now you’re just being facetious.” She stuck her tongue out at him, and enjoyed listening to his soft laughter. “Kotetsu? Can I ask you something?”

“What is it, Karina-chan?” He asked, resuming playing with her hair. “Is it something important?”

She gave a small shrug of her shoulders. “I’m not sure. I guess it might be? Or it might not be. That’s why I want to ask.”

“Ask away, then.” Kotetsu adjusted their bodies, so Karina could look up at him without getting a crick in her neck.

Blushing, she looked up at him. “Um...I saw that you and Barnaby went outside for a bit. Is everything okay?”

“Eh,” Kotetsu gave her a warm smile. “It doesn’t matter. What matters is that you’re happy.” He kissed the tip of her nose, which she quickly wiped off. “What?”

“That isn’t the truth. What matters is that we’re all happy. You’re avoiding the question, Kotetsu. What happened outside with him?” Karina sat up, and looked at him. “You can’t lie to me. You know that.”

His eyes closed, as he exhaled softly. “I know, Karina. I’m not lying when I said what I said. What matters to me most is that you’re happy. Bunny is just learning to deal with things.”

“Like what? I thought everything was resolved between the two of you.”

“Yes, well.” Kotetsu sat up, pushing the pillows against the headboard. “He was concerned about my behavior, and how I acted on Friday night. He was upset, because he thought I was too invested in you.”

“Too invested?” She couldn’t hide the trace of hurt in her voice. “What does that even mean?”

“It means he knows that I’m in love with you. And he’s concerned that if something should happen to the two of you, my first instinct would be to save you first, and not him.” Kotetsu rubbed the bridge of his nose. “What he doesn’t seem to understand is that I wouldn’t do that. I would rescue whoever needed help first, then attend to the second person.”

Karina sighed softly. “You mean, he’s worried I’ve stolen you away from him.”

“In a manner of speaking, yes.” Kotetsu pulled her close to him, giving her a tight squeeze. “But you haven’t, Karina-chan. Don’t you worry. I realize that I haven’t made a conscious effort to talk to him in the way I used to, before…”

“Before I came into your life like this.” Karina rested her head against his shoulder, and played with his chest hairs idly. “I suppose you’re right. You need to have some time to talk to him. I can’t have _all_ of your time. And does he honestly think that if we were both in a dire situation, you’d go for me first? He’s _your_ partner.”

He chuckled softly, pulling them both down to lay back down on the bed comfortably. “Yes, well. That may be true, but you are my partner as well, you know. You’re the woman that I love, that I’m in love with. He’s my partner by trade.”

“But he’s also your best friend,” Karina tried not to get too attached to the words he was saying, as it gave her a small thrill, each time he spoke of her like that. “I won’t come between the two of you. That’s ridiculous.”

“Which is what he’s worried about. So, hearing you say that you won’t get between us is great, except I’m not the one that needs to hear that.” Kotetsu kissed the top of her head. “Now, if you were to let Bunny-chan know that yourself, perhaps that may save me from more headache inducing talks.”

Karina gave a small nod of her head. “I can see why even if you say it, he still won’t believe it. Maybe tomorrow, we can all sit down together and talk? I mean, not like the last time. This time, we’ll go someplace where we can all have a normal conversation.”

“Normal? Hah!” Kotetsu shook his head. “It’ll be anything but normal. Remember, people know who he is. No matter where we go, he’ll be recognized.”

She looked up at him. “Then, what are you suggesting? We invite him over here for some breakfast? I mean, won’t that make that even more awkward? I’m trying to avoid him feeling uncomfortable, and if we invite him here, when he knows that I’ve spent the night, don’t you see that defeating the purpose?”

“My, my. Karina-chan sure is growing up, isn’t she?” He teased her playfully. She rolled her eyes, and giggled softly, unable to stay mad at him for teasing her. “No, I didn’t say that. We can do whatever you think is best, Hime. But, like I said, it needs to be heard from you, and not me.”

“I know. What if I just go out with him on my own? Do you trust me?”

Kotetsu hummed thoughtfully. “Of course I trust you. And, I think that actually would work out the  best. That way, I’m not involved at all.”

“Fine. I’ll send him a text in the morning, and ask to meet me for lunch. Does that work for you? Or did you want me to spend the entire day with you?” She laughed, as his pulled her to lay on top of him, as she tried to squirm out of his arms. “Quit it, Kotetsu!”

He chuckled softly. “Well, of _course_ I want you to spend the entire day with me. But, I should probably get some things taken care of around here. So, yes, that works for me.”

“Oh? And what do you have to take care of?” Karina asked, settling herself back against his body, yawning softly. “It can’t be more important than me, can it?”

“I’m not going to fall into that trap,” Kotetsu gave her a gentle squeeze. “Get some sleep, Hime. I’ll have breakfast ready for us in the morning, alright?”

She nodded her head slowly. “I like the sound of that. But, first, tell me? What are you going to do when I go and see Barnaby?”

“See Kaede.”

Karina knew that that was more important than spending time with her. “That’s a great idea, Kotetsu. How’re her powers coming along?”

“Since she’s an empath, they’re a bit skittish. But, I think with the right training, she’ll be able to handle things just fine. Don’t you worry about her, okay?”

“Does she know about me?” Karina couldn’t help herself. She wanted to know, even if she already knew the answer. It wouldn’t be fair to be upset with him if Kaede didn’t know, since they weren’t telling her parents until her birthday. That’s what she told herself, in order to not be upset by whatever answer he was going to give to her. She couldn’t be a hypocrite about it, if he wasn’t being honest with his family, when she wasn’t either. Their friends knew, and that had to count for something.

Kotetsu lifted her chin up to look up at him. “She knows I’m dating someone, someone that I am very into. She’s happy to see me so happy.”

“But she doesn’t know it’s with me.”

He stroked her cheek with the pad of his thumb. “No, she doesn’t know it’s you. I plan on telling her when we tell your parents. If you’d rather I tell her the truth tomorrow, I will, Karina-chan. I don’t want you to think I’m embarrassed by you. I’m not, not at all. I just thought you wouldn’t want me to say anything to -”

“Kotetsu.” She placed her hand over his mouth, silencing him. “Kotetsu, it’s alright. I understand why you haven’t told her. And you’re right, that’s probably the best time to do that.” She gave him a small smile, as she uncovered his mouth. “Don’t worry about it, okay?”

She rested her head back on his chest, yawning softly as he held her close. “You sure it doesn’t bother you?”

“I’m a girl. Of course it bothers me. But, I’m trying to be sensible about this, so no, it doesn’t bother me.” Karina giggled softly. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to get some sleep.”

“Sweet dreams, Hime. I love you.” Kotetsu let out a loud yawn, before shifting his weight on the bed to find a comfortable spot.

“Love you too,” Karina mumbled, as sleep was fast approaching. She had a lot on her mind, and hoped that it would quiet enough to let her have a dreamless sleep. She wanted to be in her top game, if she was going to have the serious conversation with her boyfriend’s best friend, and partner. Without it, she knew she’d never succeed in closing this rift between the two of them, and she couldn’t have that. 

* * *

**A/N:** The position she wanted to try is called 'Joystick Joyride' courtesy of Cosmo. Up next, a talk between Kotetsu's best friend and girlfriend. :) Thanks for reading!


	27. Chapter 27

Rolling over, Kotetsu opened his eyes and looked at the red lights of his digital clock on his nightstand. It showed the time to be half past 9 in the morning, which was late enough for him to get up and not feel so guilty for sleeping the morning away. He kissed his lover’s shoulder, as she snored softly into her pillow, the sheet half off of her body. Before he lost himself in her beauty, he rolled out of bed. He had promised his lover some breakfast, and he intended to make good on that promise.

He slipped his boxer briefs back on, and left the room, moving as quietly as possible to not wake up Karina. He walked down the stairs, scratching his lower back with one hand, while the other scratched the back of his head. Yawning, his feet moved automatically towards the coffee pot, which he grabbed and held under the kitchen sink. He turned the water on, filling it up for just enough coffee for the two of them, and set the machine to brew.

The smell of eggs and bacon cooking began to permeate the air, as the coffee was slow to brew. Kotetsu hummed to himself, making two plates ready for the food he was cooking. He didn’t cook that often, but he didn’t think his girlfriend would appreciate fried rice for breakfast. Chuckling to himself, he scooped the eggs out and put them on a plate, and laid the bacon next to them. Grabbing the toast out of the toaster, he set the last pieces on the plate.

“That looks delicious!” A pair of arms wrapped around his chest from behind, making him almost drop one of the plates.

“Karina-chan!” He could feel his heart pounding in his chest, hoping that she couldn’t feel just how surprised he was by her presence. “I didn’t expect you to be awake already!” The coffee pot began to signal it was finished brewing.

She walked over to the coffee pot and turned the alarm off, and grabbed two mugs. “Well, I wasn’t, but then I could smell the wonderful food, and had to come down and investigate.” She poured two cups of coffee for the two of them. “Does that bother you? Did you want to surprise me with making me breakfast in bed?” She handed the cup to him, which he took gratefully.

“I didn’t say that…” He looked at her, and noticed that she wasn’t wearing any sort of clothing at all. Gasping softly, he averted his eyes. “Karina, aren’t you cold?”

The dulcet tones of her laughter made the hair on his arms stand up, bringing a smile to his face. “Kotetsu, you act like you’ve never seen me naked. I thought you would appreciate the fact that I’m not covering myself up.” She stood directly in front of him, meeting his eyes. “You can stop being such a gentleman. I want you to stare at me, oji-san.”

“Gah, don’t use that name when you’re standing here, looking like that!” He gestured to her body, blushing furiously. “Karina-chan, it’s not that I don’t appreciate the beautiful curves of your body. No, I’m worried that our food will be forgotten, because I will just have to have my way with you on that couch over there.”

She stood in her naked glory, her arms crossed under her chest. “So, you would rather I go back upstairs, and put some clothes on? Really, Kotetsu? _Really_?”

“I….” Kotetsu was at a loss of words. On one hand, he really didn’t want her to leave his side, as he did appreciate that she was becoming more and more comfortable with her body. This was a first for her, to be down in his kitchen without any clothes on, and he didn’t want to discourage her from being this way in his own home. But, on the other hand, he didn’t want to be distracted, like he was, by her natural beauty. “No, Karina. Stay like that. Why don’t you go and sit on the couch, and I’ll bring our breakfast over?”

Dropping her arms, she smiled brightly. “Okie dokie!” She grabbed the two cups of coffee, and walked over to the couch. She sat down, and crossed her legs, much to the older man’s chagrin. He grabbed the two plates, and set one down in front of her, then set his down next to hers.

Before he sat down, he shimmied out of his boxer briefs, and tossed them towards the foot of the stairs. Karina giggled, and shook her head at him. “What?” He asked, surprised by her reaction.

“You didn’t have to do that, Kotetsu. I didn’t care if you were in your boxers or not. I just thought you would like it if I was still undressed, that’s all.” She stood up, and placed a soft kiss on his cheek. “Although, I do like seeing you completely naked like this. It’s...different.”

Smirking, he sat down on the couch, pulling her down with him. “Different? How is it different?”

“It’s different because we’re not in the bedroom.” Karina’s cheeks were becoming pink, the more she spoke. “I’m not used to seeing you like this here, except in the bedroom, or in the shower.”

He placed his hand on her thigh. “Karina, isn’t that why you decided to come down here like you are now? Because it’s freeing to be naked with your lover, knowing there won’t be any judgments? And, isn’t it nice to be naked somewhere that _isn’t_ in those two places?” He kissed her softly, before pulling his head back. “If you’re uncomfortable, I can go upstairs and get a shirt for you.”

“No,” Karina shook her head. “I’m okay. Besides, don’t you want to eat your food while it’s still hot?” She sat back on the couch, her body language expressing that she was more comfortable than she had been only a few minutes ago. “Come on, let’s eat!”

Kotetsu sat back on the couch, and pulled the smaller table towards the two of them. “I think that’s a wonderful idea, Hime.” He picked up his coffee, and took a sip. “Oh! Did you want the creamer?”

“Already took care of it.” She showed him the tan liquid in her cup, rather than the blackness that was in his own. “Thank you for making breakfast for us. It smells and looks delicious.” She picked up her fork, and began to nibble on the food.

“I hope it’s okay. It was either this, or french toast, but didn’t know if I had enough eggs for the batter.” He began to eat some of his bacon, watching the expressions on his lover’s face, as she ate the food with gusto. “Hungry, Karina-chan?”

Giggling, she gave a nod of her head, her mouth full of food. She swallowed, and began to chew on some of her toast. “After the night we had last night? My body needs the replenishment.”

Now it was Kotetsu’s turn to feel the warmth in his cheeks. “Didn’t think you minded too much last night.” He muttered, eating the rest of his eggs. His phone began to ring a distinctive ring.

“Who would be calling you this early?” Karina asked, setting her fork down. “Should I go pick it up for you?”

He shook his head rapidly. “No, no. It’s okay. It’s just Kaede. She’s probably calling to make sure we’re still meeting up this afternoon.” The phone stopped ringing after a few minutes. Another ding signaled a voicemail had been left. “See? No problems, Karina-chan.”

“What time is she coming over?” Karina resumed her eating, glancing over to her lover.

“I told her around 1 or 2. Did you send Bunny-chan a text yet?” Kotetsu asked. He could feel his palms become slick, as he mentioned his partner. He still didn’t know if it was a good idea for the two of them to meet together without him around. His intention had been to stay the entire weekend with Karina, and not see Kaede, but after the talk he had with Bunny at their impromptu party, it seemed like a good idea.

“I did.” She nodded her head, as she took a sip of her coffee. “But, Kotetsu…. I have a question.”

“Oh?”

“If you had plans with your daughter, why did you suggest I stay here the entire weekend? Unless you planned on cancelling with her?” Karina looked over at him, her auburn eyes narrowed a bit. “You’re not lying to me, right?”

“No, not at all!” Kotetsu shook his head. “You’re right. I was going to cancel with her, once you told me that you were set to stay here all weekend. But, since you said you’d go meet with Bunny-chan today, I didn’t have to cancel with her.” He covered his face with his hand. “I should have just told you in the beginning, Hime. Gomen.”

She giggled, and set her cup down. “Relax, Kotetsu. I’m not mad at you. I understand. I’m glad that I did stay here this weekend. I really am. I…. Well, I needed this. I think _we_ needed this.” She sat on his lap, knees on either side of his legs, as she wrapped her arms around his neck. “Thank you for making me breakfast, oji-san.” She rested her head against his neck, breathing deeply.

“You’re not going to fall asleep, are you?” He placed his hands on her waist, hugging her back gently. “You promise you’re not mad at me?”

“Nope. Not mad.” Karina shook her head. “And no, I’m not going to fall asleep. I just like sitting here like this. Wish we could always sit here like this.”

He brushed her back gently with his fingers. “I know, sweetie. But, at least we’ve got the time now, yeah? Better than nothing, hmm?”

“I suppose so.” She slipped off of his lap, and gathered up their plates. He watched her hips sway, as she walked over to the sink, and rinsed each plate off. “Do we have time to go upstairs and be with each other for a bit?”

Kotetsu got up off the couch, and walked over to where she was. “Be with each other for a bit?” He kissed her shoulder, smiling as he saw her visibly shiver. “What did you have in mind, Hime?”

“Well, you stink.”

Pulling away from her, he was about to retaliate when she started to laugh. “Oh, ha ha. Very funny, Karina-chan.” He shook his head. “So, what you’re saying is you’d like to take a bath, perhaps? Or would you prefer a shower?”

“Either, or, my love. It doesn’t matter to me.” Karina shook off her wet hands, and placed the plates in the dishwasher. “I think a bath sounds like a marvelous idea, though.”

Kotetsu could feel the smile blossoming on his face, unable to stop it. “A bath it is, then. Why don’t you come up in a few minutes? Unless you’re all done down here.”

“I’m finished.” Karina walked over to the stairs, and picked up his pair of boxer briefs. There was a wicked gleam in her eyes, as she spun the undergarments on her index finger. He wasn’t sure if he should be afraid of that look, or pleased by it. It was a little bit of both, if he was honest with himself.

“What are you doing with that?” He asked, as he watched the boxer briefs spin in the air. “Karina-chan….” He reached for the cotton, and caught air, as his girlfriend started to run up the stairs, laughing hysterically. “Oy!! Where do you think you’re going?” He chased after her, moving a bit slow, because he knew he could catch her in an instant, but wanted to give her an advantage.

She laughed, and threw his underwear into the bedroom. “Nothing! Nothing, I swear!” She laughed, as he tackled her onto the bed, hugging her close to him. “Kotetsu!!”

“Next time you’re going to play with my underwear, make sure I’m in them, okay?” His lips grazed over hers in a soft kiss, pulling a soft moan from her throat. “Now, did you still want to take that bath, or not?”

Her eyes were half-lidded, her lips a bit kiss swollen. “I think so,” she replied, breathless. “Unless you don’t want to?”

“Oh, I want to.” He got up off the bed, and held his hand out to her. “Shall we?”

“Yes, please.”

…

A car pulled up to the curb, as Karina closed the door behind her. She had said her goodbyes to her lover, and said she’d text him when she got back home. She didn’t want him to walk her outside, as she didn’t want the two men to get into a discussion, and forget all about just why she was doing what she was doing. She walked the short distance from the house over to the car, and gave a small wave.

“Hi, Barnaby! Thank you for coming to pick me up!” Her hand reached for the door handle, but was stopped when the door opened from the inside. “Ah, thank you!” She opened the door all the way, set her weekend bag on the floor of the passenger seat, and got in.

Pushing his glasses back up on the bridge of his nose, Barnaby gave a noncommittal gesture. “It’s no problem, Ms. Lyle. I take it oji-san had something come up?” He started the car back up, as soon as her buckle snapped into place.

“No, it’s nothing like that. I just thought that it would be nice to go out and get some lunch together.” She slipped her sunglasses on, and sat back comfortably in the car seat. “Now, what do you feel like having for lunch? Want to go get a sandwich? Or some dim sum?”

As the car pulled away from the curb, Barnaby glanced over at her. “It matters not to me, Ms. Lyle. We can go and get some dim sum, if that’s what you prefer.”

“Why can’t you just call me by my name? Karina. Please, it’s okay. I would really like it if you called me by my first name.” She tried not to fidget, already feeling like this wasn’t going according to plan. “And dim sum sounds wonderful. There’s a great shop near Apollon, if you’d like to go there.”

He pulled onto the highway. “I’m familiar with it. I’ve eaten there a few times before.”

The rest of the car ride was quiet, except for the music that was playing on the radio. Karina tried not to let it show, when one of her songs came on the radio, surprised as all hell to even be played in a rotation such as that. She knew that they were trying to put out more of her music, and hearing the DJ refer to her as her alter ego made the reality sink in.

“It’s a good song.” Barnaby commented, as he pulled into the parking lot. “You should be pleased that it’s getting airtime.”

She pulled her purse out of her bag, and set it on her lap. “I appreciate the sentiment, but it’s kind of difficult when they’re saying ‘Blue Rose’ sang it, and not my real identity.” The car stopped, as Barnaby parked the car, turning the radio off.

“You do realize you are one and the same, yes?” Barnaby asked, as he opened her car door for her. “You are Blue Rose. Blue Rose is Karina. There should be no distinction between the two of you.”

Stepping out of the car, she placed her purse on her shoulder. “I understand what you’re saying, Barnaby, but just because the world knows your identity, doesn’t mean that I’m going to do the same, right? We’re anonymous to everyone else. They only know our famous ‘hero’ personas. With you, they get both at the same time.”

“Yes, but what is stopping you from not doing the same?” He asked, as he held the door open for her to the restaurant. “You know that it wouldn’t be that big of a deal, should you decide to come out into the open.”

She waited to continue the conversation, once they were seated at their table. “The reason I don’t do it is because I don’t want to worry my parents.” She saw the woman with a cart coming close to their table. “I know that if I were to reveal my real identity, that my family might be at risk.”

“Does your family know about what occurred on Friday?” Barnaby flagged the cart over,and began to grab a few different items for their table.

Picking up her chopsticks, Karina gave a small nod of her head. “They are aware there was an incident that required the Hero’s help…”

“But they are not aware that you were personally involved in the hostage situation?” Barnaby poured some tea of the two of them, while looking at her with an intense look in his eyes. “Do you know how that sounds, Ms. Lyle? It sounds like you’re already hiding things from them, besides your relationship with Tiger-san.”

She looked down at her plate, words failing her. She knew that Barnaby was right. There was no reason that she should be hiding anything from them, but was more afraid of the repercussions, once she did inform them what had been going on. She picked up a dumpling, and bit into gingerly, still trying to find the right words to reply to the man sitting across from her.

“I do know how that sounds. My plan was to tell them that the picture they saw in the paper was me, and tell them exactly why I didn’t tell them when they asked me.” She set her chopsticks down, and took a small sip of her tea. “Do you mind if we change the subject? There was a reason I asked you to this lunch today, and I don’t want to get too sidetracked.”

Barnaby nodded his head. “Of course, Ms. Lyle. What was it you wanted to speak to me about, then?”

“I want to know why you think that if one of us is in danger, that Kotetsu would rush to save me first.” She looked him in the eye, and saw him avoid her gaze.

Picking up a piece of shumai, Barnaby would not look at her. “Because I think that he would. I know that he loves you, and when a person loves someone else, it makes them do crazy things.”

“But, Barnaby, I’m not a threat to you. I thought we’ve been over this. He’s still _your_ partner, and _your_ best friend. I’m just someone he’s dating.” She knew that there was more to it than that, but really didn’t want to further upset the blonde.

He finally looked over at her, with a sad smile on his face. “Yes, I know he’s all of those things, but if we were to be in a scenario together, such as what happened on Friday night, why do you think he would go for me first? He wouldn’t. He would go for you.”

“Only because I’m a girl, and I’m not out in the open as a Hero!” Karina had had enough. She knew that there was no way that he was going to listen to her without getting upset. “Barnaby, quit acting like an ass about this. You know damn well that if something were to happen to the both of us, he would try equally hard to save the both of us at the same time.”

Another cart came by, with some dessert options, which Karina quickly grabbed and plopped down on the table with a loud thud. “And just because you have this wild scenario in your head, Barnaby, doesn’t mean it’s going to happen! I’m tired of trying to be nice to you. Why do you have to be like this towards me? It’s not like I’ve done anything wrong.”

“I know you have not, Ms. Lyle.” Barnaby put his napkin on the table, and finally looked at her. “I am worried that I will no longer be able to see my best friend, or speak to him, because you are now taking that spot in his life. That is the honest truth.”

She shook her head. “But, I promise you, I haven’t. There’s a difference between what the two of you share as being partners and friends, than what he and I share as being lovers. I cannot take whatever it is the two of you share, and duplicate it. Nor do I ever want to, Barnaby. Do you think my girlfriends are upset at my relationship with Kotetsu, because he’s taking up so much of my time?” She waited for the shake of his head, before proceeding. “That’s right, they’re not. They’re _happy_ for me, because they know I’ve always had feelings for him. And to finally have them reciprocated, and growing into something so much more, well….I don’t know.”

“Do you plan on marrying him?”

Snorting, she shrugged her shoulders. “What kind of question is that? Do you expect me to say no, because I’m so young?” She met his eyes, and locked onto them. “What if I said yes? I haven’t thought about marriage to him, since we’ve gotten together. If he wants to, then I don’t see why I wouldn’t. But, you and I both know that he’s not over his deceased wife, as he still wears his wedding ring, but that doesn’t bother me.”

“Why doesn’t it? I would think that a girl in your position, that would be a difficult thing to deal with.”

Karina was barely keeping her anger in check, knowing that he was probably trying to rile her up on purpose. She wasn’t going to fall for that, and took a deep breath, before answering his question. “Why should it bother me? I don’t see anything wrong with him honoring the woman that he loved, and created a wonderful daughter with. I don’t ever compare myself to her, nor do I ever want to. As I understand it, she was an amazing woman, and it wasn’t fair that life took her away from him as quickly as it did.”

“So, you’re okay with him already having a child? Would you have one with him, if the two of you were to get married?” Barnaby’s voice seemed to carry an edge to it, as if he was forcing the questions out into the open.

She nodded her head. “Of course, because it doesn’t matter. But you keep asking hypothetical questions. What’s the point, Barnaby? There is none, because it _doesn’t matter_. We are both just living in the now, and not worrying about the future. What’s wrong with that? Why do you keep insisting that if something were to happen in the future, then all of a sudden, you will no longer be necessary? That’s it, isn’t it?” She looked at him, seeing a look cross his face, as she realized she had hit the nail on the head. “It’s because you think you’ll no longer be necessary.”

“Perhaps that is true, Ms. Lyle. But, maybe I’m just concerned for the well-being of both him and his daughter.” He waved over the hostess, to get the bill from her.

“Damn it, Barnaby!” Karina gave into her anger. “Are you kidding? What the hell does it matter? I already told you that these worries are all for something that hasn’t happened yet. Why can’t you just be happy that your best friend found someone again? I’m not taking your place!”

Barnaby began to take money out of his wallet, and handed it back to the hostess. “I never said that you were, Ms. Lyle. I only said what my concerns are for both Tiger-san and his daughter. I know that you make him happy, that is very clear indeed. But, I cannot help but worry that something may go wrong. What, then? Are you going to ask Ms. Joubert to switch you to the second string of Heroes? Or, do you expect us to go there?”

“Something may go wrong?” Karina’s anger was draining out of her, as those words began to resonant in her mind. “You think he’s unhappy with me?” She heard herself voicing her fear, without realizing that Barnaby was goading her into it. “If something were to go wrong, then I would be the one to request a transfer. I would never expect the two of you to go to the second string. That would never make sense, and one that Agnes would never agree to.”

He stood up from the table, Karina following suit. “Ms. Lyle, I wasn’t expecting you to. And no, he isn’t unhappy with you. Don’t let what I said fill you with doubt.”

“But that’s why you said it, right?” She grabbed her purse, and headed outside, refusing to let him push her buttons more. She debated about pulling her phone out and calling either Nathan or Keith to come and pick her up.

“Please,” Barnaby’s hand held onto her upper arm, effectively stopping her in her tracks. “Karina, please. I didn’t mean anything bad by what I said. I should have realized you would take it in that manner, but I was not thinking.”

Glancing up at him, she gave him a shaky smile. “I understand why you said it, Barnaby. I know that you’ve never really cared about me, and now that I’m becoming more serious with Kotetsu, you’re finding me more of a threat than before.” She removed his hand from her arm, and lowered it down.

“More serious,” Barnaby repeated, nodding his head slowly. “I suppose that is correct.”

They walked over to the car together, Barnaby only being stopped once for an autograph, before he unlocked the car for her. She got settled into the passenger seat, and waited for Barnaby to get into the car with her.

Barnaby got into the car, and turned to look at her. “Karina, I-”

“I want this to be the last that this gets spoken of.” She gave him her full attention, which he returned, his hand pausing near the ignition, the keys dangling from his fingers. “Kotetsu and I are a couple, and I intend to keep it that way for awhile to come. Does it mean he’s going to save me first? No. Does it mean he’s going to save you first? No. I think he will always judge the situation first, and then make the judgement that way.”

The expression on his face began to transform from one of concentration, to one of a relaxed smile. “I understand, Karina. You are right. I cannot worry about the future, when it’s clear as day that it is not up to me.”

“Thank you, Barnaby.” She put her sunglasses back on. “Would you mind driving me home now?”

“Not at all.”

The two sat in silence for the duration of the car ride. As they pulled up to her house, Barnaby turned the car off, and got out. She grabbed her overnight bag, and stepped out of the car, once Barnaby had opened the door for her.

“Are we in agreement, then?” Karina met his eyes, knowing that he would understand what she was asking, without having to actually say it.

He nodded his head. “Yes, Ms. Lyle. We are in agreement. Thank you for taking the time to talk to me about this. It…. It actually means a lot to me that you reached out to me.” He took her bag, and walked it up to the front door.

“I’m glad to hear you say that.” She kissed him on the cheek, and tried not to giggle as she noticed the blush that appeared on his face. “I’ll see you soon? Perhaps after practice tomorrow?”

Barnaby bowed his head. “Enjoy the rest of your evening, Karina-chan.” She smiled as he finally seemed more relaxed around her, a definite improvement from just acknowledging her by her formal name.

She watched him walk back to his car, before pulling her keys out of her purse, and turned the key in the lock. “Hello? I’m home!” Karina walked into the house, holding her overnight bag in her hand.

“Welcome home, Karina! Did you have a nice time this weekend?” Her mother poked her head out of the kitchen. “Your father is in the office, working. Dinner will be ready at around 6. Do you have any homework?”

Karina kissed her mother’s cheek, as she walked over to where she was. “I do have some. I think I’m going to go upstairs and get that taken care of before dinner.” She set her bag down, and gave her mom a big hug.

“Is everything alright, Karina?” Her mother returned the hug. “Did something happen?”

“No, mom, everything is good.” She pulled away, hoping that the tears that were welling up in her eyes would wait to spill over until she was alone. “Call me when dinner is ready?”

Her mother patted her head, and smiled. “Of course I will. Now, go do your homework.” She swatted Karina’s behind, making the teenager giggle as she went on her way.

When she got to her bedroom, she pulled her phone out of her bag, and quickly sent a message to Kotetsu, letting him know she got home safe. Her phone made a noise almost two seconds after she had sent the message.

“ _Did everything go okay with Barnaby?”_

“ _As well as it could. We’ll talk about it later. I’ve got homework, and I’m sure you’re still with Kaede. Call you later?”_

_“You had better. Talk to you soon, then.”_

_“I love you.”_ She felt her breath catch in her throat, as her palms began to sweat. She hoped it wasn’t too bold to send that, and almost wished she could take the text back.

“ _I love you too, Karina-chan. Speak to you in a few hours._ ”

Turning her phone to silent, she plugged it into its charger. She flopped onto her bed, happiness permeating as she heard the text he had just sent in his voice, in her head. She wondered how she was going to get through dinner, when all she wanted to do was hear her lover’s voice. It was going to be a torturous few hours, so Karina figured she would actually get some of her homework done, hoping that she would be able to concentrate enough. Glancing at her phone, she saw that she had received a picture message. Retrieving it, she burst out laughing, as it was a picture of Kotetsu wearing a worried look on his face, as another blur was in the photo. Karina had no doubt that that blur was Kaede, and that worried look on her lover’s face was one that was absolutely priceless. Setting her phone back down, she got to work, throwing herself into study mode. It was going to be a very long afternoon.  

* * *

**A/N** : Up next, perhaps some phone sex, and then some. ;) Thanks for reading! 


	28. Chapter 28

Slipping his key into the front door lock, Kotetsu unlocked his front door, and entered into his house. He closed the door behind him, tossing his hat to rest on the hook by the door, as he dropped his keys onto the small table by the front door. He slipped off his shoes, and dragged himself over to the couch, his body exhausted.

It had been a wonderful afternoon with his daughter, but boy, had it been tiring. Kaede was becoming stronger with her NEXT powers, and her endurance was much higher than his own was. Kotetsu wasn’t afraid of what she was capable of, but he was afraid of being left behind in her dust. Not that he would ever tell her that. He sank down onto his couch with a loud groan, his body just not used to being through the paces she had taken him through.

He reached into his pocket, and pulled out his phone. Unlocking the screen, he saw that Karina hadn’t sent him another message, since the last picture he had sent to her. Not that he could blame her. He knew that she had her own things she needed to take care of. He pressed the 3 key down on his phone, which had been programmed to dial her number automatically. Putting the phone up to his ear, he waited patiently for his girlfriend to pick up the phone.

“Ah, hello stranger. Someone couldn’t wait for me to call them, hmm?” Karina’s voice sang, as she picked up on the third ring. “How’re you feeling?”

Closing his eyes, he settled back on the couch with a content sigh. “I just got home, and couldn’t wait to speak to you. I’m feeling much better now, hearing your voice. How’re you, Hime-chan? Did you have a nice afternoon with Bunny?”

“I’m still not quite sure.” Karina sounded a little off, which immediately alerted the older man that everything wasn’t as it seemed.

He sat up, and held his head in his hand. “What did he do, Karina? Do I need to go and have a talk with him?”

“No, no. It’s not that bad.” She giggled softly, the sound of a door closing alerted Kotetsu that she was trying to keep their conversation private.

“I’m sorry, Karina-chan. Did I call too late? I didn’t even look at the time.” He got up from the couch, and headed up the stairs to his bedroom, his body protesting with each step he took.

“Are you alright, oji-san? You keep grunting.” Karina giggled, as Kotetsu groaned at her jibe at him. “Did Kaede make you work too hard this afternoon?”

“You have no idea.” He flopped onto the bed, and groaned low. Keeping one hand on the phone, he unbuttoned his pants, and pulled them off quickly. He took off both his vest and shirt, and threw them into the pile with his pants, and rolled onto his back. “I wish you were here right now, Hime.” He spoke softly, the truth rolling out of his mouth faster than he could have stopped himself.

Across the town, Karina smiled as she laid down on her bed. “It’s not that late. I mean, it’s a little late, but nothing that I care about. I’m glad you called me.”

“Why wouldn’t I call you, my beautiful Hime?” Kotetsu groaned, as his back popped. “Aye, I wish you were here, so you could give me a back rub.”

“Kotetsu!” The dulcet sounds of her laughter made him smile softly. “Like I can do something like that.” She giggled softly. “If you’re in so much pain, why not call Rock Bison and ask him to help you out?”

He rolled onto his side, and shook his head. “Nah, I can’t do that. Besides, you’re the only one I want to touch my back in that manner.”

“Am I?” Karina’s voice became quieter. “Kotetsu? May I ask you something?”

“Of course you can, Karina-chan. What is it?”

“We’re okay, right?” She asked, her voice sounding almost timid. “I mean, you’re not disappointed with me, upset with me, or want to break up with me, right?”

His eyes snapped open. “Where is this coming from, Karina? Is this because of something that happened with Barnaby?”

“Well….” She didn’t deny the question, which made his heart begin to pound painfully in his chest.

“Remember that he views you as the enemy, for whatever brainless reason.” He shook his head, and tried to not become upset. “There is nothing wrong with the two of us. You and I are fine. You know that I love you, Karina.”

He could hear her breath hitch a little, and could picture the tears that were probably falling from her eyes right at that moment. “I know, Kotetsu, but it’s so difficult. I know you’re older than me, and that you’ve got Kaede, and I love that you love your wife still, and I just don’t want you to feel like you’re obligated to be around me.”

“Now I really wish you were here with me right now, Karina.” He spoke quietly, waiting for her to calm down a little before continuing on. When he heard her pause, and heard her audibly take a breath, he continued on. “Yes, I still love Tomoe, but you should never feel threatened by that. How many times have I told you how nice it is to feel like this again? I feel alive, Karina, because of you. Because of how I feel for you. How you make me feel.”

“But, Kotetsu-”

“No. There are no buts this time, Hime.” He spoke softly, yet with a stern tone. “You mustn’t let Bunny-chan get into your head like he has. You are the person I am in love with. You are the one that makes me wake up with a smile on my face. Yes, Tomoe used to do that too. But, she passed away. I think she would be happy that I was able to find someone to love again.”

Karina was quiet for a few more moments. “You don’t think she’d be upset that you’re dating someone who is a few years older than your daughter?”

“She wasn’t that type of person to judge, Karina. I think she would just be happy to know that you make me smile.” Kotetsu closed his eyes, and sighed softly. “I should have gone with you to this lunch. I’m sorry, Karina-chan.”

“Don’t be.” Karina replied. “I’m not. We did come to an understanding, and I think he should no longer bother us. I’ll be sure to not get into another predicament, so he can never say ‘I told you so’, when you have to rescue me.”

He turned onto his side, and glanced at the area that had been last occupied by his girlfriend. “Don’t worry, Hime. I won’t let anything happen to you again.” His voice was raw with emotion, recognizing how close he had almost come to witnessing something horrible. Even though they had had a relatively quiet weekend, whenever he closed his eyes, all he could replay was that moment she had been taken away from him.

“Kotetsu,” she whispered. “I really wish I was laying next to you right now.”

“H-How’d you know I was laying down?” He brought the pillow she had used towards his face, inhaling her lingering scent.

“Your voice changes when you’re laying down,” Karina giggled softly, followed by a soft sigh. “I wish it was tomorrow already, so I could see you after training.”

“Will you be there?” Kotetsu asked, his voice a little muffled by the pillow he still kept close to his face.

Karina waited a few seconds, before answering. “I will. I don’t have anything planned after school. I mean, unless we get called out on an assignment.”

“Would you like for me to take you home afterwards?” He set the pillow near him, wanting to keep it close to his body. He planned on sleeping with it in his arms, the pillow a poor substitute to having his lover in his arms.

“Oh, yes.” Karina answered, with a soft lilt in her voice. “Kotetsu?”

He closed his eyes, and pictured her in his mind. “Yes, Hime?”

“I miss you.”

“I miss you too, Hime-chan.” He spoke softly, matching her voice level. “But we’ll see each other tomorrow.”

“No, I _miss_ you.” She spoke softly, her breath hitching just a little. If he hadn’t been so focused on what she was saying, he probably wouldn’t have noticed it. 

Except, he had. He groaned low, understanding what was happening. “Karina, are you touching yourself right now?”

“Yes, Kotetsu.” The way her voice lingered on his name, no doubt finding that right angle to touch herself sent shivers down his spine.

“Tell me what you’re doing to yourself right now, Karina. Let me know what my fingers are missing right now.” He reached into his boxers, and grasped onto his cock with a gentle ease. He was already so aroused by just the sound of her voice, and the soft gasps that happened intermittently.

“You tell me first,” She half-moaned, half-whispered into the mouthpiece. “Because, I know you’ve got to be touching yourself too.”

“Oh, I am,” Kotetsu acknowledged freely. “I would much rather prefer it be your hand on my cock, just as I wish it could be my fingers giving you the pleasure you must be experiencing right now.”

“Kotetsu….” She dragged his name out, as she sighed softly. “My fingers are no match for the way you feel inside of me.”

Moaning low, he felt his pulse quicken at her admission. “I wish I was in you right now, Karina. When I see you tomorrow, you better know that I’m going to take you so hard, you’ll beg me to stop.”

“N-Never…” She began to moan a little. “Tell me what to do, Kotetsu.”

“I…” He groaned low, stroking himself slowly. “Lick your fingers, Karina… Tell me what it tastes like.”

He heard her shift on the other end of the line, and could hear her licking her fingers. He almost came, highly aroused by the noises she kept making. “Tastes a little strange…”

“If it tastes strange, why do I keep hearing you licking?” He asked, moaning low as his hand started to move faster.

“Because I know you like it,” she whispered.

“Karina…”

“I wanna touch you, Kotetsu… I want to taste you so bad right now. I love how you taste.” Her breathing became erratic, as she began to touch herself again.

“Hime, come for me…” He was about to give up, wanting to come so bad, but wouldn’t until he knew his lover had satisfied herself first.

“I…. I am….aaahh…. ” She moaned into the mouthpiece, that sound the last thing that registered in Kotetsu’s brain as he came hard with her.

“Yes,” Kotetsu groaned low, stroking himself until it became painful. His stomach was coated with his spunk, as were his shorts. He let himself go, and pulled his shorts off, using them to clean himself up.

Karina panted heavily into the phone. “I love you, Kotetsu.”

“I love you too, Karina-chan.” He laid on his back, feeling spent. “We should hang up before you pass out.”

As if on cue, she yawned softly. “Kay. I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon?”

“Of course. And remember what I said.” He bit back his own yawn, a smile spreading instead.

“Mmmm…..shower sex.” She giggled softly. “Night, Kotetsu.”

“Night, sweetie.” He waited until she hung up before he set his phone on the charger he kept by his bed.

They hadn’t gotten to speak about what had happened at the lunch with Barnaby, and Kotetsu knew just how he was going to find out about it.

…

The next day, Kotetsu got off the elevator on the floor where his office was in Apollon, and saw the familiar blonde hair sitting at the desk next to his. He walked over, and took at seat his desk, not bothering to say hello to his partner.

“Not even a good morning?” Barnaby sighed, turning to look at him. “I see you spoke with Ms. Lyle.”

He stood up from his desk. “I’m going to get some coffee. Do you want anything?” He wanted to make his partner think he was upset, and it seemed to have worked.

“If there are any pastries, I’ll take one. Do you want me to go with you?” Barnaby asked, starting to stand up from his desk.

“No, no. You stay. I’ll be right back. Then, we’ll talk.” Kotetsu walked towards the break room, ignoring the glare he knew Barnaby was throwing his way.

He grabbed his coffee and a few different pastries, deciding that whatever Barnaby didn’t want, he’d partake. He set his coffee down, and sat at his desk. Turning to look at his partner, he held out the pastries. Barnaby grabbed a croissant, and gave a nod of thanks.

“Before you ask me anything, just know that whatever she told you, it was resolved when she got out of my car.” Barnaby pushed his glasses back up on his nose. “I didn’t mean to hurt her by what I said.”

Confirming that she had been hurt by their conversation, Kotetsu sighed audibly. “Bunny-chan, when are you going to learn how to be a better person? It’s not that I’m mad at you for what you said to her.” He sipped his coffee, and took a bite of his danish. “I’m more concerned that you have no humanity inside of you. How is it you’ve succeeded this far in life without being taught people skills?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Barnaby looked away from Kotetsu.

“Yes, you do. That’s why you won’t look at me right now.” Kotetsu finished off his danish. “Look, all I’m saying is you should use some tact. Don’t be so blunt. I’m sure you told her about what you told me. How you don’t want to be put into the position where I have to save one of you over the other, right?”

“Perhaps.” Barnaby still wouldn’t look at him. “But, what does it matter how I speak? I think she understood what I was saying.”

Sighing, Kotetsu knew that it was probably useless trying to point out his partners’ issues. “She did understand, but you also made her upset. Was that your goal? To make her upset?”

“She is the one that invited me out. Not me inviting her out.” Barnaby wore a scowl on his face. “Quit acting like this is all my fault, Tiger-san.”

Rolling his eyes, Kotetsu drank some of his coffee. “I am not placing any blame. You’re right, she was the one to approach you, not the other way around. Would it kill you if you did suggest lunch with her next time?”

“Next time?” He scoffed, shaking his golden locks back and forth. “What on earth do you mean?”

“I mean, next time. Bunny-chan, I want you two to be friends. If you can’t even bother, then fine. I get it. But don’t blame me when the rift between us grows even more because of your stupidity.”

That seemed to get his partner’s attention. “I don’t want that.”

“I know, and neither do I. But, we’ve both gotta make some compromises. I want to please the both of you, but you gotta work with me on some things, okay? That’s all I’m asking. I’m not asking to have a threesome with her, or for the two of you to go out on a date.”

He smirked, as he saw Barnaby turn three different shades of red. He sputtered out a response that was so unintelligible, that Kotetsu could only laugh.

“Is something funny?” Alexander Lloyds appeared in front of the two of them. “You two shouldn’t be gossiping. Do something productive, or go home.”

“Do I still get paid, if I leave?” Kotetsu grinned, sitting back in his chair.

“No.” Their boss kept a stalwart face.

Sighing, Kotetsu turned his computer on. “It was worth a shot.” He muttered, after the man left their area.

When the clock struck 4, Kotetsu stood up from his desk, and stretched. “You gonna come up for some training, Bunny?”

“In a bit. I’ve got something I need to finish.” Barnaby was busy typing something, wearing a look of concentration on his face.

“Fine, fine. I’ll see you upstairs, okay?” He pushed his chair in, and headed to the elevator. He wondered if his lover was already upstairs, or if he was going to have to wait for her. He hadn’t received any texts from her throughout the day, and was a bit antsy because of it. He pushed the up button for the elevator.

The doors to the elevator slid open a few moments later, as he walked into it blindly. He knew there was another person in there, but didn’t bother to look up. He pushed the button for the top floor, and saw it was already lit. As the doors slid closed, he felt a familiar weight press against his back, as arms circled around his waist.

“Hi.” Karina smiled, as Kotetsu turned around to look at her. He lifted her up, and hugged her tightly against him. “Kotetsu!” She giggled, hugging him back.

“What a wonderful surprise this is,” Kotetsu said, still keeping her in his arms. “I didn’t know if you were here already or not.”

“Gomen, I left my phone at home.” Karina blushed, as she kissed his cheek quickly. They let go of each other as the doors opened, a few more people entering into the elevator.

“It’s alright.” He reached for her hand, smiling when he felt her palm against his own. Their guests left the elevator after two more floors, leaving them alone. “Did you have a good day at school?”

She nodded, and smiled. “I did. Had a test, and did well on it. Won’t be long until it’s all over.” She grinned, as the door opened on their training facilities.

“That’s true.” His heart beat faster, as he watched her walk away from him, her school skirt swishing back and forth. “You gonna go change?”

“I am, oji-san.” She winked, and laughed, before heading into the girl’s locker room.

He was about to question why she was laughing, when he felt a tap on his shoulder. “Let her be, handsome~.” Nathan trilled, a large smile on his face.

“Yeah, I know.” Kotetsu groaned, and headed to the men’s locker room. He got into his workout gear, slipping his gym shorts on. He heard the door, and saw Barnaby walk in. “Ah, get everything done?”

“Yes.” Barnaby nodded. He grabbed his things from his locker, and headed towards the bathroom.

Kotetsu snorted. “You don’t have to leave on my account. I was just about to head out.” He walked over to the door, and left his partner alone.

He walked back out, and saw that the rest of the first string of Heroes had made it, and all were doing different exercises. Karina had taken up residence on one of the treadmills, keeping pace with Keith, who was talking a mile a minute to her. Kotetsu saw Ivan was working on weight training, with Antonio spotting him. Nathan was busy with cardio with Pao-Lin. He walked over to the two of them, joining in on their jumping jacks.

“Sorry I couldn’t be there this weekend, Tiger-san!” Pao-Lin said, as she began to do leg kicks. “If I had known about it sooner, I would have tried to get out of my family obligation.”

Kotetsu shook his head. “Don’t worry about it. You were missed, but we’ll have another get together soon.” He glanced over, and saw Karina was watching him, a smile on her face. “Did you have a good weekend?”

“Yes!” Pao-Lin stopped talking, and began to concentrate on her workout. Not wanting to bother her, Kotetsu went back to his workout, and left her alone.

Barnaby had taken up the treadmill next to Karina, and seemed to be carrying on a conversation with both her and Keith. Kotetsu tried not to let his jealousy get to him, but he really wanted to know what the three of them were talking about. The constant laughter coming from their side of the room was making him forget about what he was doing, and almost crashed into Antonio.

“Whoa!” Kotetsu shook his head, sighing. “Sorry, Antonio.”

“You should be more aware of your surroundings, Kotetsu. Not just hers.” Antonio smirked, as Kotetsu moved away from him.

“Tell me something I don’t know.” Kotetsu groaned, and went back to his exercise.

After a few hours of solid training had passed, everyone began to make their way towards the locker rooms. Kotetsu stayed on his weight machine, not wanting to see if Karina was still around. He was about to lift the weights, when a face appeared above him.

“Boo!” Karina wore a big smile on her face.

“Ah, there you are.” He grinned, and sat up. “I’m all sweaty and gross. You probably don’t want to get too close to me right now.”

“You do stink.” Karina waved her hand in front of her nose, exaggerating his rankness. He stuck his tongue out at her, which earned him a loud laugh from her. “You’re the one that said it, not me!”

“You weren’t supposed to agree so quickly.” He pulled her close to him, and kissed her on the cheek. “Will you join me in getting cleaned up?”

“Why do you think I waited until everyone had left before I came over here?” She moaned softly, as she pressed a little bit closer to him.

Kotetsu looked up, and saw that they were indeed alone. “Everyone is gone?”

“Well, I know there’s no one in the girl’s locker room, if that’s what you’re asking.” Karina suggested. “And someone made a promise to me last night…”

He picked up her in his arms, and carried her towards the girl’s locker room. No one saw them, as they disappeared behind the closed door. He was quick to strip all of the clothes off of her, reveling in the light sheen that coated her body. Her fingers worked fast, pulling down his gym shorts and boxers, while he took off his shirt for her. Reaching into the shower stall, he turned the water on to be warm, and let it warm up a bit, before he pulled her into the shower.

As the water hit their bodies, Kotetsu couldn’t stop kissing his lover. “Karina,” he breathed against her lips, as he pushed her against the tiled wall.

“Y-Yes?” She moaned, leaning her head back. Kotetsu kissed the side of her neck, before returning to her lips, kissing her fast.

He reached between her legs, moaning low. “You are so wet already….” He teased her clit with two expert fingers. He watched her face, enjoying each reaction he got from her, as he continued with his ministrations.

“K-Kotetsu…” She moaned loud, tossing her head back.

“Shhh….” He covered her mouth with his free hand, a small smirk on his face. “Remember, just because the others may have left does not mean we may not have an audience.”

Karina nodded in understanding, as he removed his hand from her mouth. Her moans were a little softer, but kept rising as his fingers worked faster on her. Touching her just like he wanted to the night before, when his body was aching so bad for her. He watched her face become slack, as she began to orgasm, a soft whine leaving her mouth, her entire body shuddering.

“Good, Karina…” He whispered softly, as his fingers began to slow down their insistence against her dripping folds. He pulled his fingers away, and began to lap up the sweetness she had released for him, moaning low as the bitterness touched the tip of his tongue.

Her mouth was on his in a second, their tongues licking one another in a desperate attempt to taste more of each other. He lifted her up by her hips, and angled himself to be against her wet center. Their kiss broke off, as she wrapped her arms around his neck, trying to push herself down onto him. He kept just the tip pressed into her, the slow battle of dominance waning thin as he wanted to just thrust into her fast.

“Please,” she breathed into his ear. “Please, baby… You promised…”

Kotetsu lost the battle, as he thrust into her fast. The warmth of her body was his undoing, as he pushed himself deeper into her. He cradled the back of her head, not wanting her to get hurt accidentally, as he tended to forget his own strength. The feel of her breasts rubbing against his chest was sending his body into overdrive, as he pushed deeper into her. He could feel her getting close to her orgasm, and was desperate to make her fly before he did. He began to slip his hand between their bodies, wanting to touch her in just the right way, when a loud ringing began.

“K-Kotetsu….d-don’t stop…” Karina begged him, as the ringing continued, then began to increase in volume.

He looked down, and saw both of their wrists flashing, a call coming in from Agnes, no doubt. “Shit.” He swore, torn between finishing with his lover, and answering the call. He knew if they didn’t, they’d be in a world of hurt. He pressed his lips to her, and kissed her softly. “Sorry, Karina-chan.”

He set her down, and slipped out of her, groaning as the pain from his unreleased orgasm began to catch up to him. He hightailed it out of the shower, not wanting Karina to answer the call with him right beside her. He sat on a bench, and pressed answer.

“Took you long enough!” Agnes scolded him. He groaned, and kept his wrist above the waist, not wanting to give anyone in the truck an unwanted show. “Karina! Are you in the shower?!”

“H-Hai.” Karina said from just a few feet away from him.

“Never mind that. Everyone here?” There was a chorus of acknowledgement from all the Heroes. “Good. There’s trouble brewing in the center of town. I want you all there as fast as you can get there. Sky High, you’re already en route, yes?”

“Hai!” Keith replied, sounding like he was stuck in a wind tunnel. “I should be getting there in a few minutes.”

“Be careful! These guys are dangerous!” Agnes slammed her hand down on the console. “Call me when you all get there. Hurry it up.” She signed off, leaving the two Heroes alone once more.

Kotetsu stood up, and scratched the back of his neck. “Sorry, Karina-chan. Looks like we gotta get over there fast.”

“Can I go with you on your bike? I’ve got a spare outfit here.” She pointed to her locker, and shut the water off. “What an awful time for her to call.”

He grabbed a towel, and wrapped it around his lover’s body, before grabbing one for himself. “Sure. I don’t see why that’s a problem. You gonna be ready in five minutes?”

“I’ll meet you by the elevator.” She nodded her head, and began to quickly go over to her locker. He took his leave, and headed to the men’s locker room.

He got dressed in his black neoprene suit, and headed back out to where the elevator was. He figured Saito would be waiting for him in the garage, but decided to call him anyway. When he answered, Kotetsu could barely hear him.

“What?? Speak up, Saito!” He complained, and shook his head. “Never mind. Meet me downstairs, okay? With my suit. Blue Rose is going to go with me, as she happened to be training when we got the call.”

Kotetsu thought he heard the man agree, but didn’t know for sure. He ended the call, as his lover walked over towards him, her hips swaying thanks to the long thorns that were on her bustle. He pushed the button for the elevator, and the two entered together.

“We’ll finish what we started when we get done with all of this,” Kotetsu said, giving Karina a large smile. “How’s that sound?”

“Perfect.”

They got out on the garage level, and headed over to where Saito was standing, with a suit for Kotetsu. He quickly put it on, and stuck his helmet on his head.

“I’LL BE RIGHT BEHIND THE TWO OF YOU. BARNABY-SAN IS ALREADY EN ROUTE.”

Groaning, Kotetsu got on his bike, and shook his head. “Fine, fine. We’ll see you there.” He turned and looked back. “You comfortable on the bike, Karina-chan?”

“You act like I don’t have my own bike.” She winked, and gave a nod of her head. “I’m fine. Let’s go.”

He took off without another word. He was enjoying how nice it felt to have her so close to his body, except he really couldn’t feel her thanks to his clunky Hero suit. He knew it was meant to benefit his strengths, but he wanted to enjoy how her breasts felt against his back. He pushed his perverted thoughts to the back of his mind, as they rode fast, getting to the activity quickly. He parked his bike, and hopped off, helping Karina off the back of his bike.

“Thank you.” She said. She fixed her hair, before looking over at the fight in front of them. Her face paled substantially, making Kotetsu reach out for her.

“What is it, Karina?” He neglected to call her by her Hero name, and hoped that none of the cameras were on them yet. He could hear the helicopter circling above their heads, and the sound of metal hitting metal made his body vibrate.

“It’s them.” Karina whispered, shaking her head.

“Them?” Kotetsu asked, clearly confused.

“It’s the ones from Friday night.” Barnaby appeared by their side.

* * *

 **A/N:** Perhaps it's time for a little payback? ;) Thank you for reading!

 


	29. Chapter 29

Her feet weren’t moving, when her mind was telling her to charge forward. Seeing those men again, the ones that held her and the others hostage had made her shut down. She could hear Kotetsu and Barnaby arguing, but wasn’t able to understand the words. It was like she was underwater, all of the noise muted. She stepped back, as Rock Bison rolled passed them, carrying a truck in his hands, poised to throw it at the melee in the center.

“You need to wake up!” She heard someone scream at her. She blinked a few times, and saw Kotetsu in front of her face, his face shield up, his amber eyes looking like they were on fire. “Blue Rose, please!”

Hearing him say her Hero name made her snap out of it. These men wouldn’t know who the hell she was, as she wasn’t Karina Lyle tonight. No, she was her alter ego, the one that helped carry her confidence. She flashed a big smile at her boyfriend, her strength suddenly returning full force, as she realized just what it all meant.

“I’m awake, silly.” Karina laughed, the happiness flowing through her, as she understood what this all meant. “Sorry, I was just taken by surprise for a moment.”

“Are you alright now?” Barnaby asked her, his face shield up as well, revealing his blue eyes to her. She saw what looked like worry etched on his face, which surprised her for a moment. “If you would rather wait in our unit, I don’t think Saito would mind.”

She adjusted her hat, and pulled out her ice guns, and shook her head. “No, I think I need to do this. I’ll be good.”

“Are you sure?” Kotetsu asked. “Because, if you’re not ready for this…”

“Remember what we talked about before?” She asked, looking him in the eyes. “About how you won’t come rescuing me first? Well, don’t worry.” Karina began to run towards the action, leaving the other two heroes behind her. “I’ll be okay!” She charged into the battle, a smile plastered on her face.

“Do you really think she’s going to be alright?” Barnaby asked, arms crossed over his chest. “Or, do you think this is her way to show us that she doesn’t need you to help protect her?”

Lowering his face shield, Kotetsu shrugged his shoulders. “I think she’ll be great. I don’t know if you’ve ever been in her situation before, but a little payback is always sweet.”

“I can’t say that I have,” Barnaby admitted, pulling his own face shield down. “Shall we go and assist the others?”

“Yes.” The two took off, and joined in the fray.

Karina whipped her head around, seeing that the hostages that had been taken were still trapped in the building. She was about to make her way towards it, when the air around her started to become damp. The fog was rolling in, thanks to Keith being preoccupied with another NEXT down the road. She took a few deep breaths, and silently prayed that she wasn’t about to get trapped again. No, that wouldn’t happen, not when she’s in her Heroes outfit.

“I’ve got you.” A voice sounded next to her ear. She felt a hand on her elbow, and felt the nerves she had been feeling moments ago suddenly disappear. Even though the fog was getting denser, she would know that touch anywhere.

“Tiger.” She saw him nod his head. “Where are the others?”

“Sky High is trying to get the other guy to cooperate, but it seems we all forgot that this is a duo.” Barnaby was on the other side of her. “There are still hostages in the building, but I believe Pao-Lin is working on getting the power cut.”

There was a loud roar, as flames began to shoot across the square, disintegrating the fog. Karina had never been so happy for Nathan’s power in all her life. It was the split second they needed. She saw the one controlling the fog, and without thinking twice, darted towards him. She drew one of her ice guns, and held it out in front of her.

“Here you go, cutie~!” Nathan’s warble let her know that his fire was going to be there again in a moment. She only hoped she had judged right, and wasn’t about to get incinerated in the process.

The fog lifted in the area once more, showing the NEXT that was creating it was not paying attention to what was happening around him. If Karina knew any better, she’d say that he was relying on his buddy to take care of the Heroes. _Did I really get held hostage by this idiot?_ She pushed away those thoughts, and let her anger take hold. They weren’t going to get away with it this time.

She knew Agnes was going to be pissed off at her, if she didn’t get the shot she wanted. Luckily, the spotlight from the helicopter shone down, and still this NEXT didn’t seemed phased by it. She held her liquid freezing guns in her hands, and pointed them at the man.

“My ice may be a little cold,” she shot both guns off at the same time, freezing the man’s legs in ice, “but your crime has been put completely on hold!” The stream of her ice power kept freezing the man, until he was frozen, the only part of him not encased in ice was his head.

Instantly, the fog was gone, as the man’s hands were suddenly frozen in ice. She could hear the cheers from the onlookers, and saw that both Kotetsu and Barnaby were smiling at her.

“Boss! Boss, where are you?!” The man shouted. “Boss, I need some help here!”

Karina was half-tempted to put the man’s head in ice, but knew that would do no good. She saw Nathan was slowly thawing him out, as a Sternbild police squad was standing next to them. Kotetsu walked over to her, and gave her a gentle pat on the back.

“Nice work, Blue Rose!” He grinned, his face shield up, amber eyes glowing with pride. “I thought for sure he was going to turn around.”

“No, he’s just an idiot.” She glared at him. The police put two large gloves on his hands, blocking him from doing any more damage with his fog. “But, where’s the other man? He has to be around here somewhere, unless someone already took him out?”

Antonio joined their group, and shook his head. “No. He’s still in the area. We’ve recovered all the hostages.”

“Are you sure?” Barnaby asked. “How do we know he’s still around.”

Keith touched down on the ground in front of them. “I saw him myself. He took off towards the dock.” He pointed down the road.

Without thinking, Karina began to run towards the docks, ignoring the calls from the others. She knew she was being reckless, but she couldn’t help it. She needed to know just what these men were after, so they could protect it at all costs. No one should have to suffer like she had. Knowing that she could put a stop to it made her all the more focused on getting the job done.

She skidded to a stop, as she reached the docks, and quickly looked around. She saw no sign of life, or any sign of forced entry anywhere. Was Keith sure he saw correctly? Not that she was doubting him, but with everything that had been going on, perhaps he wasn’t as observant as he normally is. Holstering her guns, she turned around, and gasped loud.

The man she had been looking for was suddenly in front of her, his hand latched at her throat. “Couldn’t just let me get away, could you?” The man seethed, his eyes glowing a bright yellow, as his grip tightened on her neck. “Do you know what my power is, girly?”

“NO!” Kotetsu shouted, as he and Barnaby arrived on the scene. She could see they were both at their full power, their suits moving in sync together. She tried to pry his fingers off of her neck, but stopped, as he turned her towards the water.

“Do you know how mist is created?” His other hand shot out, the water suddenly evaporating. “It happens when something becomes unbearably hot.” She struggled with his other hand more, and cried out, as his hand started to grow warmer.

Focusing her energy, she shot ice at the man’s chest. He let go of her without thinking, sending her in a freefall towards the boiling water. She held her breath, hoping that whatever pain she was about to experience would be quick. Her fall stopped, as arms grabbed her, her rescuer holding her in their arms.

“So sorry, Miss Lyle,” Keith said, his voice having lost all enthusiasm. “I should have been quicker.”

She felt a sudden rush of relief wash over her body, as Keith set her down on the docks. She saw that Kotetsu and Barnaby were apprehending the man. A spotlight was on the three of them, as HeroTV made sure to capture the second arrest of the night. She walked over to the three of them, her head held high.

“Are you alright?” Kotetsu asked, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Your neck looks a little red.”

Karina nodded, and gave her boyfriend a brave smile. “I’m sure I’ll be fine. I’ll ride back with you guys, so Saito can look me over.”

“I was going to suggest that,” he replied. “We need to take care of this man first, though.”

They began to walk towards the waiting police car, when Karina decided to look up at their surroundings. She held in a scream, as she saw that the moon had turned a blood red. She quickly looked around, knowing what that moon meant, but could not see him anywhere.

“Blue Rose? Are you alright?” Barnaby asked her.

Before she had a chance to reply, a blue green bolt struck the man that had attacked her, right in the center of his chest. She screamed, as she saw another bolt fly through the sky, hitting the man in his heart. The man that they didn’t have a chance to question, to ask just why he was attacking again, had been struck down by Lunatic.

“You!” Kotetsu shouted, as the moon rose high overhead, showing the silhouette of Lunatic, standing on top of an building. The man was burned to a crisp, leaving behind no traces of his identity. “Why did you do that? We had things under control!”

“Ah, but your control wasn’t the issue.” Lunatic’ nasally voice commented. “The issue at hand is that he would have been released. Again. And this would have happened, again.” He gestured to the city, where there was still a light fog, leftover from their previous battle.

“That still isn’t a valid reason to murder someone like that!” Barnaby remarked. “The system works.”

Lunatic dropped down, his cape billowing out behind him. “Is that so?” He walked towards the pile of ashes, and kicked his foot in it. “It seems to be that the system failed, once again.” He swiveled his head, and stared at Karina. “Surely you must understand that, Blue Rose.”

“You didn’t have to kill him.” She whispered, visibly shaking. “We would have figured out what he was after soon or later.”

“Yes, but again, how many times must this situation play out before something is done about it?” Lunatic began to pace around the three of them. The police officer had hightailed it out of there as soon as the blue-green bolts streaked across the sky. “I think you should all be thanking me, for putting a stop to a vicious cycle.”

Kotetsu cackled. “Thank you? There is no way we would ever do that.” His eyes narrowed. “What we should do is apprehend you!”

“Ah, but that’s only assuming you’re as strong as me.” Lunatic jumped up, and landed on the roof of a nearby shop. “You all know that I’m right, even if you don’t want to admit it.” He disappeared within the shadows, leaving the three heroes alone.

Karina saw that the helicopter of HeroTV had flown away, and was now focusing on the area where the clean up was going. She looked at her boyfriend, and felt emotionally exhausted. “Where is Saito?”

Headlights flashed, as the Apollon duo’s RV had pulled up near them. Kotetsu looked back and forth between Barnaby and herself. She was about to ask him what was wrong, when Barnaby spoke first.

“I’ll take the bike back to the garage.” He placed a hand on Karina’s shoulder. “I’m glad you’re alright, Blue Rose.”

She gave him a smile. “Well, at least we know who he’ll go for first.”

“You mean, how we’ll both go.” Barnaby smirked, as she gave a small nod of her head, a blush beginning to creep up on her cheeks. “You are a valuable comrade. All of us would be lost without you as part of our team.”

Kotetsu just stood there, watching the exchange between the two of them, a smile on his face. “I think Bunny-chan is going soft.”

“Goodnight, oji-san.” Barnaby rolled his eyes, and headed towards the green motorbike, which was far away from the docks. Karina waved, and smiled, pleased to see he was finally warming up to her.

The two of them walked towards the RV together, and entered the warmth of the main cabin. Karina pulled off her boot, and collapsed on the couch, sighing softly at the warmth it was providing her.

“WELCOME BACK, TIGER-SAN AND MS. LYLE! I SAW YOU WERE OVER HERE, SO I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE BETTER IF I CAME TO YOU.” Saito shouted over the speakers.

She groaned, and covered her ears, ignoring the laughter coming from her boyfriend. “Thank you, Saito-san.” She saw Kotetsu go into a small chamber, no doubt to remove his mech suit from his body. Reaching behind her, she undid her two thorns from her costume, freeing her up of the unnecessary weight. “Would it be possible to request no more talking until we get back to HQ? In fact, please turn off any two-way communications you may have with this compartment.”

“TIGER-SAN? IS THIS YOUR WISH AS WELL? DO YOU WISH TO HAVE A FEW MOMENTS ALONE WITH MS. LYLE? NO HANKY PANKY. I WILL KNOW IF YOU TWO DO SOMETHING. WITH OR WITHOUT THE AUDIO AND CAMERAS.”

Kotetsu stepped out of the chamber, dressed in his neoprene suit. “It’s fine, Saito. No hanky panky. Just let us know when we’ll get to HQ?”

“ETA IS ABOUT A HALF HOUR. TRAFFIC ISN’T MOVING VERY FAST, THANKS TO THE HEROES EFFORTS.”

“Thank you.” Kotetsu sat down next to Karina, who immediately situated herself on his lap. She placed her head on his shoulder, and sighed softly, as his arms came around her. “Drive safe, Saito-san.” Karina said.

“NO PROBLEM, MS. LYLE. GOODBYE FOR NOW.”

They both waited a few moments, just to make sure he didn’t have anything else to say to the two of them. She felt Kotetsu’s arms wrap protectively around her, holding her tightly to his body. She couldn’t help but melt into him, the comfort his heartbeat was providing was exactly what she had been craving.

“Are you alright, Karina?” Kotetsu finally spoke after just holding her for a few moments. She was grateful for the silence, but knew that it wasn’t going to last long. “May I see your neck?”

She pulled away from his shoulder, and leaned her head back for him. “Is it bad?” It was the last thing on her mind at the moment. She hurt a little when she swallowed, but figured that was more from the chokehold than anything else.

“You’re going to have a bruise around your neck. And, I’m sad to say it’s not from something I did to you.” He grinned, trying to make the situation light-hearted, which she appreciated immensely. “You’ll be good as new in a week, I think.”

“What about the burn?” She asked timidly, hoping it wasn’t as bad as she was envisioning in her mind. “Do you think it’s going to scar?”

Kotetsu shook his head. “No, it’s very minimal. You’ll be fine. I think it was more knee jerk reaction than anything else.”

“Okay, good.” Karina placed her head back onto his shoulder, and sighed softly.

“What’s the matter, Karina-chan?” His hand began to rub small circles on the center of her back. She hummed softly, appreciating the minimal massage.

“I think he was right.” She spoke softly, hearing what had been echoing in her head come out of her mouth. She had been afraid to admit it, because she didn’t like knowing that she had that in her, but for some reason, it was making sense to her.

Kotetsu’s hand stopped moving, as he pulled her closer to his chest. “In some messed up way, I agree too.”

“Does that make us bad people, then?” Karina closed her eyes, willing herself not to cry. “Because, I don’t feel like I’m a bad person for wanting that.”

“No, we’re not bad people, Karina.” Kotetsu answered her, his voice carrying a hint of regret. “No, because if I had done what I had wanted to, I would have killed him myself.”

She sat up, and looked at him. “What? No, but we don’t do that. That’s what makes us the good guys, Kotetsu.”

“I don’t care, Karina.” His amber eyes grew darker in the dim light. “He was hurting you. He could have seriously harmed you, if it hadn’t been for Sky High’s nicely timed entrance.” He cupped her face in his hands, the heat from his palms sending a sharp shiver through her body as she listened to him speak. “I know I can’t protect you always, but when it was this close of a call, again? I can’t help but be thankful that Lunatic was there, to put an end to this madness.”

The tears that had been held at bay began to spill forth from her eyes. “K-Kotetsu….”

His lips brushed against hers with a gentle kiss, stealing her breath away. Her sobs came coming, as they parted, his body cradling her to his chest. Being a Hero had its perks and its drawbacks, and this was one of those times that it was a definite drawback. She knew that she should have put up more of a fight, but had gone into it too headstrong. But, it didn’t matter anymore, as the one that was the more dangerous NEXT had been vanquished.

Wiping her eyes, she sniffled softly. “Well, there was one good thing about tonight.”

“What’s that, Karina-chan?” The edge in Kotetsu’s voice was gone, replaced by the dulcet tones that made her warm all over. “That you got to ride behind me on a powerful bike?”

“Hah.” She giggled, and shook her head. “No, but that was nice.” She pressed her face against the crook of his neck, rubbing her nose against the neoprene suit. “You actually scored points tonight, oji-san.” Karina teased him, and began laughing as he groaned loud.

“Yeah, well.” Kotetsu ran a hand through his hair, the sudden shift making Karina slip off of his lap. She laughed harder, as she had fallen to the side, and was now sitting on the couch. “Karina!”

“I’m fine,” her laughter died down. “But, really. I’m proud of you, Kotetsu.” She giggled. “I’m sure Agnes will be happy as well.”

“WE WILL BE AT APOLLON TOWER IN TWO MINUTES, TIGER-SAN AND MS. LYLE.” Saito came blaring over the sound system.

Karina groaned, and buried her face against his neck. “Thank you, Saito.” Kotetsu sighed, and wrapped one arm around Karina’s waist. “Guess that means we’ll be parting ways. I’m sure your parents are probably wondering why you’re not home yet.”

“I’m sure they saw the broadcast.” She mumbled, not at all wanting to deal with them tonight. “I’ll call them when we get to headquarters.”

The RV came to a slow stop. “WE ARE BACK. BARNABY-SAN IS WAITING FOR YOU IN THE GARAGE.”

“Thank you, Saito-san.” Karina stood up, and grabbed her ice thorns. She pushed the door open, and stepped out into the garage, and saw that Barnaby was waiting for them.

“Do you want us to wait, Bunny-chan?” Kotetsu asked, as Barnaby made his way into the RV.

“No, you go on up. Agnes wants to debrief us. Everyone is congregating in the boardroom on our floor.” Barnaby closed the RV door, leaving both Kotetsu and Karina alone.

They walked over to the elevator together, Karina pushing the button. It came fast, and they both stepped into it. “Do you think she’ll let us change first?”

“I doubt it.” Kotetsu harumphed, and shook his head. “Best we just go there, and see what’s going on.”

The rest of the elevator ride went by without either of them talking. Karina leaned against Kotetsu, not caring about anything except being in his close proximity. The elevator chimed, announcing their arrival at their destination. Kotetsu took her hand, and walked with her towards the boardroom. She saw that Antonio, Nathan, and Ivan were already in there. Kotetsu pushed the door open, not letting go of her hand.

“Where’s the devil lady?” He asked, looking around. “And where’s Sky High and Pao-Lin?”

“They should be here in a minute.” Agnes said, as she stepped into the boardroom. “And who are you calling a devil lady? It had better not be me, or those points you scored earlier might just accidentally disappear.” She narrowed her eyes at Kotetsu.

Karina let go of Kotetsu’s hand, and sat down at the conference table. “Are you alright, sweetie~?” Nathan asked her, concern laced in his voice.

“I’m okay,” she nodded her head. She knew better than to say ‘fine’ to the man sitting next to her, as he would see through her in a second. “Just a little tired.”

“It’s been a long couple of days, hasn’t it?” Nathan patted her hand. “We’re all here for you, sweetie.”

“Thank you.” Karina smiled, happy to know that.

“Alright, let’s get started.” Agnes said, as Barnaby, Keith and Pao-Lin made it into the room. “Now, some of you may not be aware of this, but Lunatic showed his face tonight.”

“What?” Antonio asked, completely surprised. “When? Where?”

“While the rest of you were dealing with the clean up from one half of Niebla de la Razón, the other half attacked Blue Rose.” Agnes said, and pulled up shots from the event, and put them up on the screen behind her.

“Oh no!” Pao-Lin said. “Are you okay?”

“I am.” Karina nodded. “Agnes, this wasn’t broadcasted, was it?”

“Luckily, no. Only when Sky High grabbed you did we get the chopper over to your area.” Karina sighed happily, glad she didn’t have to go home to worried parents. “And the world did not see Lunatic either, as I cut transmission.”

“I thought someone like you would rather have the story,” Kotetsu muttered.

“Lunatic’s track record isn’t stellar, and no way was I going to risk someone getting murdered broadcasted on live tv.” Agnes picked at some dirt under her nails, as she huffed silently.

“Did that happen?” Nathan asked. “Is that why the helicopter came back to where we were?”

“Yes.” Agnes nodded. “The other man is now in jail. Since it’s a second strike, though, there’s no telling how long he’ll be in there.”

“Get Lunatic to finish the job,” Antonio suggested. Everyone looked over at him, all shocked by his statement. “What? It’s not like any of you weren’t thinking the same thing. Harm one of our own, no matter in what manner, and they deserve to pay.” Karina heard Lunatic's words in her mind, surprised by how everyone seemed to believe the same thing. 

“That might be well and good, but that does not cut it for television.” Agnes showed the ratings of the broadcast. “Tonight our numbers were great. That’s because you all worked as a unit, and not as individuals. Something to think about, rather than trying to get the highest points possible.”

“But, doesn’t that go against the idea of HeroTV?” Keith asked, standing close to where Ivan was sitting. “Or, are you telling us that it doesn’t matter?”

“If it brings in the ratings it did tonight, then I would say it doesn’t matter.” Agnes showed the ratings from the last big bad, prior to the events on the dinner cruise. “As you can see, the numbers don’t lie.”

“Can’t we talk about this later?” Ivan asked. “It’s late. Some of us have school tomorrow.”

“Yes, fine.” Agnes turned off the projector. “See you.”

Karina stood up, and looked at Kotetsu. “Will you drive me home?”

“Of course.” He nodded. “You going to change first?” He gestured to her outfit.

“That was the plan.” They walked out together, and headed towards the elevator with the rest of the Heroes. The rest of them were waiting for the elevator to take them down, while they waited for one to take them up to the training room.

“Miss Lyle, are you alright?” Antonio asked, removing himself from the others. “Do you need an escort home?”

“I’ve got it,” Kotetsu stepped in.

“I appreciate it, Antonio,” Karina smiled. “Thank you for the offer, though. See you all later?” The elevator opened, having arrived to take them up to the training room. She stepped into it with Kotetsu, who was holding her hand once more.

“We’ll all see you. Bye, Karina-chan, and handsome~!” Nathan trilled, as the doors closed on the rest of the group, who were waving goodbye to them.

Karina turned and looked at Kotetsu, the smile still on her face. “So, am I changing my clothes, and then we’re leaving? Or…?”

“Or?” Kotetsu’s lips curled up into a smirk. “Why, Karina, did you have something else in mind?”

Standing on her tiptoes, she whispered into his ear, “I think another shower is in order.” The elevator doors opened on their floor. She quickly ran out, and headed towards the shower, leaving a shocked Kotetsu in the elevator.

Laughing, she ran into the ladies locker room, and squealed, as she felt Kotetsu’s body against her back. She turned around, and saw that his eyes were bright electric blue. “Thought you could get away from me that fast, did you?” Kotetsu grinned. “I think you need to lose some of these clothes you’re wearing.”

Before she had a chance to tell him she could do it, she was naked, standing near the lockers. How Kotetsu’s hands had moved that fast, she wasn’t sure. It had to have been his NEXT powers. She was suddenly up in the arm, as Kotetsu had picked her up in his arms, and began to carry her towards the showers.

“Kotetsu!” She squealed, and shook her head. “How did you get me naked so fast? And when the hell did you get naked?”

“A man never reveals his secrets.” He winked, and set her down in the shower, far enough away so the stream of spray would not hit her. His blue eyes glowed, as the smile didn’t leave his face. “Weren’t you the one that said we needed another shower?”

The steam began to fill the room, the water heating up quickly. “Well, yes…” She moaned softly, as Kotetsu’s lips began to graze her neck. “But, we can’t take too long…”

“I know, I need to get you home.” Kotetsu mumbled against her neck, his lips gliding along towards her ear. “Do you want me to make this quick?” He whispered softly, his hand reaching down between her legs.

His fingers brushed against her folds, making her moan a bit louder. She could feel how wet she was, as his fingers were having no trouble slipping into her. She grabbed onto his shoulder with another moan, leaning her head back.

“Someone is already so ready,” Kotetsu added a second finger, pumping them into her slowly. “Do you want it now, Karina?” His lips brushed over her ear. She nodded her head, pushing herself against his hand. The early let down was not forgotten, as her body was already heading towards its peak without much foreplay.

Kotetsu withdrew his fingers from inside of her, and placed both of his hands on her waist. She jumped up, with a lift from him to get her going, and wrapped her legs around his waist tightly. He was inside of her within seconds, the addition of his arousal now deep inside of her sent her head spinning. She clung to his body, as she rocked up and down on him shamelessly, needing to feel their close connection. She could hear her moans echoing off the tile walls, but didn’t care. She knew that they were alone, and she could let herself fly. Kotetsu’s words of encouragement were making her moans become higher pitched, the more they rocked together.

“Karina,” he moaned low in her ear. “Karina, I’m close…” She knew he wouldn’t be able to last much longer, but that didn’t bother her.

“Koooootetsu!” She screamed his name, as her body began to spasm, the orgasm that had been so close before they had been called away had finally arrived, and sent her into oblivion. She felt Kotetsu groan into her ear, as he came with her, his hips pumping into her hard, as they rode out their orgasm together.

Panting softly, Karina began to giggle. “What’s so funny?” Kotetsu grumbled against her neck, his goatee tickling her.

“I hope no one was around to hear that.” She laughed, feeling a million times better. That got Kotetsu chuckling with her.

“We were a little loud, huh?” He lifted his head, his eyes now back to their amber color.

“Did it feel any different?” Karina asked, as he helped her back to the floor. They both groaned a little, as he pulled out of her. “I mean, since you used your power?”

“Nah.” Kotetsu shook his head. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?” The two of them began to wash up, sharing the spray of water.

She shook her head. “Nope. I feel really light, though.” The giggles weren’t subsiding, as she washed her hair.

“Good.” Kotetsu kissed her cheek.

They finished their shower, and got dressed in their street clothes. The car ride back to her house was a quiet one, as both were just reveling in the afterglow of their quickie. She grabbed her bag off the floor, once Kotetsu pulled up to her block, a little bit sad that they were going to have to say goodbye for the night. As much as she didn’t like getting the call, she was happy to have spent some time with her boyfriend.

“Coming to practice tomorrow?” Kotetsu asked, as he put the car into park. “Or do you have something going on already?”

Karina sighed softly. “I’ve got school stuff I need to do. I won’t be at practice until Thursday.” She looked at him, and smiled. “But, I’ll text you. How’s that sound?”

“A phone call would be nicer.” Kotetsu winked. She giggled, and nodded her head, as she opened the door. “Hime?”

“Yes?” She paused for a moment, looking back at him.

“I love you.”

“I love you too.” She whispered, so only he could hear her. She shut the door, and walked towards her house, a small bounce in her step.

Neither of her parents were awake, which made her feel both happy and sad. Happy that she didn’t have to deal with the questions, but sad for the same exact reason. She walked to her bedroom, and closed her door, flipping the switch for her overhead light on. Dropping her school bag down, she walked over to her mirror, wanting to see just what sort of damage to her neck had been done.

There were hand marks there, as well as a few minor burns, in the spots where his hands had been. She sighed, touching them gently with her finger. No wonder the Heroes were being so nice to her in the aftermath of everything. She hoped that it wasn’t going to be too hot this week, as Kotetsu was right. There was no way this would be gone by the end of the week.

She walked back over to the wall, and turned off her light, before stripping out of her clothes. Too lazy for pajamas, she crawled under the covers, her eyelids feeling heavier and heavier. With one final thought of her lover’s warm amber eyes, Karina drifted to sleep, hoping that her thoughts of Kotetsu would keep the nightmare of Lunatic out of her mind.

* * *

**A/N** : Hooray! An update! Apologies for the quicky smut, but I wanted them to have a little fun after being interrupted so rudely in the shower before. Thank you for reading!


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